Reconfiguration
by Domon Kasshu
Summary: Trapped within the death game Sword Art Online, Asuna Yuuki has all but given up hope of escaping. But when she'd rescued from certain death by a mysterious swordswoman, she might find a reason to keep moving forward. Together, they might be able to free the other players from Aincrad.
1. Chapter 1

Part I:

Chapter One

Night descended over the Town of Beginnings like a blanket thrown over a child, the cerulean skies yielding to a faint gold then a fiery red before the sun disappeared over the horizon. Replaced with an inky blank, stars flickered into view on the faux sky projected onto the ceiling of the flying castle's first level. The transition was rendered perfectly, the unique landscape of Aincrad offering a view unrivaled anywhere on Earth. A young programmer spent months studying the precise details of sunsets across the globe, determined to make a spectacle unlike any other. Though many still cast their gaze skyward, no one paid the sunset much attention anymore. Instead, their thoughts drifted to the second floor on the the other side of that sky, both tantalizingly close and insurmountably far away.

Torches along the streets sparked to life of their own accord, bathing the city with a warm, gentle glow. The background music loop transitioned from a boisterous brass and percussion symphony to a gentle piano version of the same song. The roar of activity among the street side vendors had quieted to a mere hum, with only a handful of NPCs still manning their booths and hawking their wares to passersby. Other NPCs mingled with players in the streets themselves, but the two groups were easily distinguished. The computer controlled cast bounded along, full of vigor and pleasant small talk routines. They possessed a wide range of emotions, but many laughed. Almost all of them grinned.

On the other hand, not a single player smiled. The majority stared into the middle distance as they trudged forward, most retiring from the night after days in the field in a desperate attempt to raise their levels. Their expressions ranged from disbelief to horror, resignation to despair, a few faces contorted into snarls of anger. But not a single player showed any hint of enthusiasm. In contrast to the joyful bed of music behind them, they moved like a giant, meandering funeral procession.

Being trapped in a death game had that effect on people.

A lone figure wove her way through the throng, one of the few who didn't travel in a larger group. She tugged at the hem of her hooded cloak, her face hidden beneath it. The disguise wasn't to hide her identity, for no one would recognize her, even after Akihiko Kayaba stripped them of the anonymity of their avatars. Rather, she didn't want them to see her and assume she needed their protection. There had been at least a dozen such offers at the panic in the town square reached a crescendo after the announcement that players could only log out of Sword Art Online after defeating the final floor and that death in this world would mean death in real life as well. Well, some felt less like offers and more like demands. They ranged from meek to insistent, valiant to knavish, each with their own unique sales pitch. They all boiled down to the thing, however. A pretty girl needed protection, she surely couldn't take care of herself. So each time, Asuna Yuuki turned them down.

The day before he left on his fateful business trip, Koichirou warned her about the other players. Their parents deemed video games a waste of time, at least until her father's company got into the business. Studying them fell to her brother, and the thing he enjoyed the least were his fellow players. He told her they liked to wear masks that went beyond the avatars Kayaba stripped away. They lurked behind invented personas, playing characters that matched who they longed to be. In the digital world, he explained, the meek became powerful, the cowardly brave... but inevitably, their anonymity led to cruelty. Everything she experienced bore that out. Hadn't the first player she met warned her about player killers? Rumors persisted the PKers still plied their trade, despite it now being real murder. And how could she trust her fellow players, when the handsome swordsman Takaharu turned out to be a short haired young girl?

How could she get close to them, when she'd already seen one die?

Her shoulder slammed hard into a passing NPC. Though an Immortal Object message appeared over his head, he still staggered and muttered an unintelligible curse as he stormed away. The contact didn't damage Asuna either, thanks to the safety zone that protected the city. Regardless, she moved from the middle of the street to the less trafficked sides. Beyond the odd shop vendor waving hello, she came close enough to eavesdrop on a few of the conversations between the players.

"You know that wannabe guild, Fuurinkazan? I heard they went out this morning and haven't come back. They're gone, I just know it!"

"Another guy just up and disappeared today. Think his family just got tired of waiting and pulled the plug?"

"There's a huge monster guarding the fields to the west. No one's even been able to damage it so far!"

"Kayaba stacked the deck, he knows no one can beat the game! He's watching us die for his own sick amusement!"

"It doesn't really matter how it happens, we're all gonna die anyway."

The last remark slowed Asuna with a shudder. She'd taken to eavesdropping for a variety of reasons, but it almost meant learning just how close many players were to giving up hope. Optimism had been in short supply since Kayaba's announcement, and the game whittled away at it every day. Groups left early in the morning and came back short a few members each day, and some never came back at all. When players went to the location of the labyrinth from the beta test, they found only an empty field crawling with monsters. What faith remained hinged on a single player, a name Asuna heard more and more of each day.

Doraku.

The stories began small. Believable, even. A group of players calling themselves the Moonlit Black Cats were the first to talk about him. They'd been just outside town, earning experience when a rare mob unexpectedly spawned and overpowered them. But before the beast could land a killing blow, another player swooped in. The masked warrior dispatched the monster with ease and shepherded the party to safety. The mysterious player never joined their party, didn't come into town and sidestepped every question they asked about him. They only gave them their name: Doraku.

From there, the legend of Doraku grew to mythic proportions. They showed up regularly, slaying enemies and saving hopelessly outmatched players. Doraku, they claimed, was seven feet tall, terrifyingly powerful and lightning fast, at least a good dozen levels higher than any other player. When they weren't defeating powerful monsters with one strike, they were carrying players on their back or distributing a wealth of healing crystals. They showed up when players needed them most, when their health dipped into the yellow or red, when they were surrounded and unable to flee. The description, skills and even gender of Doraku changed with each story. Only one thing remained consistent between them all: A growing belief that this mysterious warrior would free them from SAO.

As spectacular as the stories were, the Monument of Life cast doubt on them all. The names of every player in Sword Art Online was carved into the massive stone monument, the names of each one who fell struck through. There were ten thousand names in total, and not one of them was Doraku. Some players clung to the myth, and theories abounded to account for the absence. Was Doraku a friendly NPC? Unlikely, because the icons above NPCs and players were different. Perhaps they were an administrator or even a team of GMs, still able to access the game. Perhaps someone even hacked into the game as part of a rescue effort?

Asuna believed people invented Doraku to distract from harsh realities. Doraku gave them something to pin their hopes on, a candle of hope to keep players motivated during their darkest days. But Asuna refused to believe such a hero would swoop in and save them. They'd already lost two thousand players and were no closer to escaping the first floor than they had been from the start. Even if Doraku existed, they didn't change that reality.

She veered off the main thoroughfare and weaved her way through the back streets until she reached the tiny inn she'd called home for the past two weeks. Many players opted for rooms in the larger buildings so their groups could stay close together. Hers felt like a small bed and breakfast, perfect for a solo player. Only a handful of rooms, a pair of rarely used common spaces, and a small kitchen that provided breakfast. It was quiet, isolated and(save one irritating exception), the other residents left her alone.

Best of all, one of the common spaces was a large library.

It startled her to discover all of the books on the shelves were real, filled with actual text. Subjects ranged from the history of Aincrad to the game's various subskills like blacksmithing, tailoring and cooking. For Asuna, the tomes on combat drew her attention the most. She read them cover to cover, devouring their advice as she learned how best to maximize her meager skills. Some days she ventured out to the small combat schools, always picked one with no one else around, and perfected the one basic Sword Skill she had learned until she could execute it flawlessly.

Tugging open the front door, Asuna kept her head down and offered a curt wave to the older woman behind the counter. In addition to renting rooms and taking col, the services NPCs had a few basic conversation routines, some unlocking hidden quests. Asuna hadn't explored a single one, keeping the relationship between them strictly business. She avoided conversation with human players out in the city, so she saw no sense in chatting to a computer. A single flight of stairs now, then she could relax in the safety of her room.

"Out all day again, A-chan? Did you actually leave the city this time?"

Unless she ran across the one player she couldn't avoid talking to.

" _He's_ asking again isn't he?"

"What an interesting question! But you can't expect Big Sister to part with that information without a little bit of col, now can you?"

Asuna had a brother but no sisters, and there were times Argo the Rat made her thankful for it. She was short, with mousy brown hair that framed her youthful face. Her most notable feature was a set of whiskers painted onto her cheeks, the source of her unusual nickname. They'd met the first day she found the inn, both preferring its isolation for different reasons. Unlike Asuna, however, Argo loved to talk. Actually, that wasn't quite accurate... Argo _needed_ to talk, since she was the game's sole information broker.

It wasn't that Asuna disliked Argo. She found her pleasant enough, and when her supply of col started to run short, Argo stepped up to pay for the room. But the Rat called it a retainer, and asked Asuna to listen to other players as she wandered across the city. Argo had already started to garner a reputation, and people might be a little looser with their words around a nondescript player like Asuna. Since she'd yet to work up the nerve to step outside the city's perimeter, that helped her stay afloat. But _anything_ Asuna said could be sold to the highest bidder, and one player in particular kept tabs on her. Thus far Argo respected her privacy, but at some point he might earn enough col to change that.

"I don't have much col left, but I heard a few things," Asuna said. With that, she started to rely all she overheard over the course of the day. Of most interest to Argo were details of new areas being explored, and of the nascent guilds beginning to form. Several players gravitated around a player named Kibaou. Two players named Thinker and Godfree had built up small but loyal followings as well. And while Asuna couldn't confirm the story of a giant midboss to the west, several people reported new rare mobs near the frontier of the first floor, monsters with high defense that even capable players had yet to defeat.

"They upgraded those from the beta," Argo said of the shielded beasts.

She mentioned the beta so casually, Asuna almost forgot how startling it was Argo shared it with her. While she eavesdropped, she quickly learned that the phrase beta tester had become a dirty word. With only the looming specter of Akihiko Kayaba to blame for their predicament, many players turned their ire toward the players who played Sword Art Online before the general public. They'd kept key information from the new players, or so people claimed. Had they shared what they knew, there would have been far fewer casualties and perhaps the players could have even reached the elusive second floor. Never mind that the labyrinth's location had moved from the beta, or that other details were different according to Argo. Kibaou, the nascent guild leader, claimed the labyrinth story was a trap, though no one explained what the beta testers hoped to gain from such a scheme. Of all the things Asuna told Argo about, she never mentioned the beta tester hatred. She already knew all too well.

She was about to leave when she stopped on the first step of the stairs, her voice somber as she spoke. "Oh... I also heard a few people talk about a guild name Fuurinkazan. They went out yesterday and still haven't come back to the city yet. People are worried-"

"Not to worry, A-chan," Argo said and flashed her a knowing look. "I know the leader of that guild, and they're fine. In fact, they made a lot of money today."

"I'd ask what you meant, but I can't imagine that information would come free." Asuna's expression turned hopeful. "Maybe I could trade some of the Doraku rumors-"

"Big Sis doesn't deal in fairy tales. Hmmmm..." Argo pressed a finger to her temple, then glanced over her shoulder as though worried someone might be listening. Then her attention returned to Asuna. "You brought a lot of good information today, so I'll let you in on the secret. Just swear not to tell anyone else."

"Who else would I tell?"

Argo clasped her hands together. "Good point! Besides, I know you don't do much haggling. You're terrible at it."

"You're overstating things."

"You traded a shield for a few loaves of terrible bread, A-chan. Trust me, you'd be lost without Big Sis." Argo opened her menu, and a few seconds later, Asuna's popped up with a message. Opening it, she saw a map of the first floor of Aincrad. Unlike previous versions, the map data was almost complete. It was no small feat, and not the sort of thing Argo gave away for free.

"Fuurinkazan explored most of the map, didn't they?"

"Mmmm hmmm. But keep looking."

"It seems pretty standard, except for this red box in the corner. I've never seen anything like-" The realization hit Asuna at once, and her eyes widened. "Wait, is that what I think it is?"

Argo snickered. "The labyrinth to the second floor. They found it."

For a few minutes, Argo fed Asuna every bit of information she had on the dungeon, and shockingly didn't ask any money for her trouble. Given the change she already noted, Argo suspected the labyrinth itself would have altered as well, rendering the experience of the previous beta testers within moot. Undoubtedly, this new dungeon would be challenging for even the most experienced and powerful players in the game. After a little haggling to keep her information out of the hands of the player who'd been asking about her for weeks, she excused herself to go upstairs to her room. But she turned back to Argo once more and frowned. There was one other piece of information she needed to know.

"How many today?"

"You really want to know?"

Asuna nodded.

"Twenty three."

At the top of the steps, a floating message on the room next to Asuna's declared it vacant. She tried not to dwell on what happened to the former occupant.

* * *

Once in the safety of her room, Asuna unequipped the cloak along with her sword and armor and switched into casual clothes. Her long chestnut brown hair spilled around her shoulders as she closed the menu. She flopped hard onto the threadbare bed in one corner, its paper thin mattress providing little cushioning or comfort. The room itself was as shabby as the bed, from a rickety desk near the window to a tiny chest of drawers that no one would ever use, thanks to the game's expansive inventory system. These were notes of authenticity from a designer who probably never imagined anyone would sleep on the dingy mattress for more than a single night, let alone two weeks.

Asuna longed for her plush bed back home, with its fluffy pillows, warm comforter and silk sheets. She saw it every time she closed her eyes, down to the faded stain on the right corner where she spilled a cup of tea last year. She missed the desk as well, where she would've spent her evening, working through home work as the aroma of Mrs. Sada's cooking wafted in from downstairs. Asuna imagined tonkatsu with a side of edamame cooked with honey and wasabi. She missed Mrs. Sada's meals even more than the bed. But most of all she missed Kuroshiro.

The little stuffed panda's white fur had yellowed with age, the tag on his leg frayed and faded to the point of being illegible. He bore the scars of their adventures: scratches that marred his brown eyes, a single black thread pulled loose from his embroidered nose, a seam sewn with dark gray thread on his right arm from an emergency surgery to reattach it. The curly red ribbon tied around his neck, however, remained pristine. The gift tag attached the day she received it was tucked safely away in her desk drawer; both were precious reminders of the beloved gift. Even when she grew older and Kuroshiro was no longer her constant traveling companion, he still held a special place in her heart. Sometimes she'd boast to him about a good test score or vent frustrations with a classmate, and on her worst days she picked him up, hugged him to her chest and sobbed into his fur. She swore she could still smell lingering traces of her grandmother's perfume when she held him close. Even after all these years, he'd never surrendered his place on her bed.

She longed for him now, when no answers came to her and she had no one else to turn to for comfort. No doubt he still guarded her bed, even if she'd long since been moved. She left Kuroshiro there she laid down on the bed, the bulky helmet of the NerveGear over her head. Her brother moved it, along with his computer, into her bedroom just before he left on his business trip.

"In case you spend more time in the virtual world than you expect."

Those words still echoed in her mind.

Did they linger in her brother's mind as well? Perhaps, but she wouldn't have been shocked to learn that he bottled up his feelings and pushed the anger and guilt aside to maintain appearances. The Yuuki family's skill in burying their feelings matched their knack for business. Kouichirou inherited her father's stoic mask, and until recently never even let it drop around her. And her mother? She'd never seen her cry, not once. Not even at the funeral for either of her parents.

Asuna _heard_ her cry, always behind the closed door of her study, always late at night when she thought everyone else was asleep. Shortly after her grandmother's death, Asuna happened to walk by late at night. She thought to go downstairs, step inside and comfort her mother, the way she always wanted to be comforted. But Mother wiped away her tears before turning to face her, furious at the intrusion. Asuna cried herself to sleep that night, comforted only by Kuroshiro.

Did her mother offer the same curt nods and icy demeanor when asked about her? Did she close the door of her study to weep in peace? She must have, though Asuna couldn't help but imagine she also openly bemoaned her daughter's fate and the frivolous decision to play a video game over her studies. After all, Kyouko Yuuki had planned her daughter's future in meticulous detail. No detail had been left unattended, from the school she attended and the courses she took to her schedule at home and the activities she took part in. She'd even chosen the man Asuna would one day marry, the thought of which still disgusted Asuna. If there was one advantage to being trapped in SAO, it was not having to deal with Sugou.

But would Mother blame Asuna, or her brother?

She could venture a guess. Koichirou had always been the perfect dutiful son as long as Asuna could remember. His was the example she could never quite live up to. He scored higher on each test than Asuna, managed each household task better than Asuna could ever hope. He never got so much as a disapproving look from her parents, or least never one that she saw. He always gave them something to brag about. For Asuna, everything could always be done just a little bit better, a little bit faster. A little bit more like Koichirou.

Yet he volunteered to test Sword Art Online, then suggested she try it while he was away. Had that never happened, both of them would have been spared. It would have still been a tragedy, but a safely distant one. They'd offer a few sympathetic words, be grateful for that fortunate business trip that spared Kouichirou his fate, then never speak of it again.

But she had logged in, and her life would never be the same.

Asuna wasn't sure how long she'd been in bed when the message icon flashed at the corner of her vision. She sat up, opened the menu and saw another new message from the only person in her contact list besides Argo. The sixth one this week, even though she'd not replied to a single one.

 _Please just tell me you're safe, and you're not doing anything foolish._

She stared into the darkness, hands balling into fists. She knew he was concerned, but he'd been the first to insist on protecting her. Takaharu jokingly called him her knight in shining armor, and perhaps the moniker went to his head.

"We'll be safer together. I have a plan," he'd said. Though she liked him, he assumed he knew what was best for her. Like the others, he never asked what she wanted.

Her attention turned to the message from Argo, and she thought once more on words she'd heard from a player earlier in the night. She'd heard the same thought numerous times, but for some reason it stuck more than ever.

 _"It doesn't really matter how it happens, we're all gonna die anyway."_

She rose to her feet, opened the menu. Equipped her gear. Pulled the cloak over her face. Looked back on the room once more. Made her way down the stairs.

A single weapons vendor remained open this late at night, and Asuna bought a half dozen iron rapiers, since no better weapon was available. The basic swords weren't very durable, so she'd need as many as possible. She gave almost all of her remaining col to buy a handful of healing potions. Once done, she made her way to the edge of town, to the boundary of the safety barrier she'd hidden behind for two weeks. She opened the map to confirm her route, took in a deep breath, then crossed the threshold into the overworld of the first floor for the first time since Kayaba's announcement and started her journey.

Perhaps she wouldn't survive her first battle in the labyrinth, maybe even killed in the field before she reached it. Inevitably, she'd run out of weapons or healing potions and the monsters would finish her. The only question was when. She cast a glance over her shoulder at the Town of Beginnings, sparing it once more look before she turned away from it forever.

Kayaba's twisted game would claim them all eventually, and no one would be able to save them. But if Asuna Yuuki was to die, she'd do so by choosing her own path.

* * *

She stared death in the face only once before.

The cacophony around her made it difficult for Asuna to think, feeling as though the tiny room might close in further around them. The rhythmic pulse of the heart monitor, the whirr of the oxygen pump and the deep breaths behind it, the pages over the intercom in the hallway, and the beeps and clicks of at least a half dozen other machines, all attached to the man lying next to her, started to blend together after a while. She tried to tune all of it out, wanting to focus on nothing else but his hand resting in hers. Though he tried to squeeze, she could barely feel it. Those hands had been strong once, when they taught her to fish in the lake a short walk from the house or when they pulled apart oranges to share as they sat on the back porch. Though he'd grown weaker in recent years, her grandfather faded rapidly when his wife passed unexpectedly a month earlier.

Grandmother's death felt like a shot when Asuna's mother told her when she arrived home from school on that terrible day. Her family dropped all of their plans, her father even canceling a business trip, to drive to Miyagi. She'd visited her grandparents there only a few months earlier, but he seemed years older when they arrived. Mere weeks later, he'd been admitted to the hospital. Doctors informed the Yuuki family, in their infuriatingly calm tone, that he didn't have much time left. Once again, Asuna was the only one who cried.

She didn't want to remember him like this, connected to so many machines as he clung to life, his warm voice and booming laughter reduced to a mere whisper. She wanted to remember the happy times on the patio as he and Grandmother wove tales about their life together, or sitting by her as she looked out into the forest to watch the rabbits frolic. But she refused to let him be alone either, and she wanted to cherish what little time they had left together, no matter how it came.

"Your grandmother's already waiting for me," he said shortly after he was admitted to the hospital. "She'll be mad if I keep her waiting too long."

He'd not spoken since. Not until the weakened hush of his voice cut through everything else in the room.

"Don't you have better things to do than sit by an old man's bed?"

"Mother, Father and Koichirou have been so busy, so I wanted to be here."

"Silly girl, you don't need to be here for me to know you care. I carry all of you with me every day in my heart." Somehow, with all those wires attached to him, he smiled at her. "The only thing that makes me sad is I won't get to see you fulfill all that wonderful potential that's deep inside you. I know you're going to do amazing things."

"Aren't you scared?"

He shook his head, even managed a quiet little laugh. "The only reason to be scared of death is if you haven't really lived. That's one of the two most important lessons I've learned in my life."

"And the other?"

"Find an amazing person to share it all with." He must have sensed her discomfort, for he continued. "I don't mean that horrible man Kyouku picked for you, either. Trust me, you'll meet the right person and you'll _know_. Just like I did with your grandmother. And then? The adventure really begins."

"I hope you're right, Grandpa."

He squeezed her hand and, a few seconds later, drifted off to sleep. She didn't know it at the time, but those would be the last words she'd ever hear from her beloved grandfather.

* * *

 _I'll never know if Grandpa was right._

As the quartet of Ruin Kobold Troopers advanced on her, their sinister axes at the ready, that was the only thought that really mattered to Asuna.

Two days had passed since Asuna left the Town of Beginnings and sought out the labyrinth, and only she'd slept in fits and starts in the cramped safe room down the hallway since. Though she'd started off strong, better than a novice had any right to be, in the last few hours she'd gotten sloppy. She mistimed her parries and dodges, and enemies got in damage she should've easily avoided. Twice before she'd also failed to pay attention to her positioning and triggered a second kobold, forcing her to face off against a pair of enemies. Though tenacity, skill and a generous helping of lucky pushed through those battles, her mental lapses had finally caught up to her.

It started when she triggered a pair of kobolds once again and was forced to retreat. This time she triggered the aggro of a third as she ran past, and the fourth appeared to cut her off from the safe room. The quartet hounded her relentlessly, and now she was trapped in a dead end with two healing potions and the durability of her current rapier dangerously low, a single sword left in reserve. With four opponents, she'd likely never even get the window open to use them.

Her muscles ached from the strain of her previous fights as she gulped down air, unable to catch her breath. She felt light headed, the sword in her hand heavier than it had been two days ago, even two hours ago. Still, she dropped into her fight stance and readied her Linear sword skill once more. Perhaps her story would end here, but she'd take down at least a few of the kobolds with her.

The nearest kobold struck first. A typical wild strike. Despite her exhaustion dulled senses, Asuna sidestepped the attack. Her sword glowed as she activated the sword skill. The rapier slashed forward, found purchase in the kobold, then staggered it as she pulled it back. The cooldown time on the strike was minimal, giving her plenty of time to-

The second kobold's axe swung down, having advanced while her attention was on the first. She recovered with barely enough time to swing her rapier up to block the attack. On contact with the axe, Asuna's sword shattered into brightly colored polygons, not even slowing the attack. The blade slammed into her chest and she flew back from the impact. She slammed hard into the wall, air forced from her lungs. Alarm klaxons whined as her health bar depleted, dipping low into the yellow caution zone. Her vision blurred as she tried to open her window, to equip the last sword or use one of her healing potions.

But the remaining two kobolds now stepped up, axes at the ready. She had no time to equip a weapon to parry, and to roll away from one strike would put her in the path of the other. The inevitable moment had finally come.

The axes lifted into the air.

Asuna closed her eyes.

Their blades whistled through the air.

She took in a final breath.

But the killing blow never came.

Instead, the kobolds squealed in pain.

Asuna opened her eyes in time to see the two enemies flashing bright before shattering into clouds of multicolored polygons. The two remaining enemies turned from Asuna, their aggro drawn in by a new opponent.

"That's really poor hospitality, doncha think? Hardly the way to treat a lady!"

Asuna failed to see the newcomer in any detail, for they were little more than a black and purple blur of motion. As they zoomed past, a sword lashed out and struck the kobold hard. Then a second strike, followed by a third then a fourth, the arc of the blade forming a square across the kobold's chest. It staggered back a few steps before shattering like the others.

The final opponent roared, sending the massive axe hurtling at the fighter. Their blade swung up in what looked like a parry, but the sword ripped through the axe itself. The top of the weapon spun off to one side, digging into the wall before shattering. The kobold scarcely had enough time to be startled, as the sword user unleashed another volley of impossibly fast strikes. Only as the final enemy shattered did the stranger slow down, giving Asuna a clear view.

Given the powerful strikes she expected to see someone in full armor, but they'd opted for light gear. The fighter was shorter than she expected, with a slight build that seemed at odds with the strength of their attacks. Her dark purple hair was pulled into a pony tail, while a mask obscured most of her face. Despite that, she carried herself differently than any player Asuna had seen to this point, a strange sense to her demeanor than she couldn't put her finger on at first.

It had been so long since she'd seen it, she struggled to recognize joy.

The swordswoman strode over and offered her a hand.

"You okay, miss?"

"Yes." Asuna's voice was every bit as cold as hers was full of life.

"You gotta be more careful down here. All of the monsters are higher level, and it's easy to get cornered."

Asuna opened her menu, equipped the final sword and took in a deep breath. "I'll keep that in mind."

"You good on potions? I have a couple if you need them."

"I'm fine. I have a couple left."

"Only a couple? We should get you back to town for a resupply."

"I'm not going back."

For a time, the silence hung between them.

"But if you don't get more supplies, you'll-"

"You shouldn't have bothered," Asuna said. "We're all going to die anyway, so what does it matter?"

Perhaps it was her imagination, but her words seemed to stagger the young sword user as though she'd just struck her with a sword. When she spoke again, there was an undeniable note of panic in her voice.

"You can't give up. There's still hope to escape the game." She reached out and took hold of Asuna's arm. "Please."

Asuna shook her arm free and took a step forward. "The monsters are about to respawn. So if you're done..."

She never finished the thought, as her muscles finally gave out on her. She pitched forward and hit the floor of the dungeon hard, then rolled onto her back. Her vision blurred once more as the adrenaline faded and the exhaustion finally took its toll. She tried to get back to her feet, but her legs refused to heed her commands, and for a brief second she panicked. The stranger knelt by her side and yanked the mask away from her face, giving Asuna a clear view of her.

Asuna noticed her eyes first, like the warm rays of the sun kissing her face on a cold day. Not even the look of concern that passed over her innocent face could diminish their brilliance, though she felt guilty for causing it just the same. In that instant more than any other, the powerful warrior struck Asuna as delicate, even fragile in some way. She held her gaze as the darkness crept in to claim her, amazed that, in this bleak world, she'd seen something so pure... so beautiful.


	2. Chapter 2

Pressure creates diamonds.

The warrior known as Doraku saw the phrase on a poster in one of the many medical offices she visited as a child. Atop the block English letters stood a cartoon bear wearing sunglasses and giving a thumbs up, an absurdly huge diamond in its other hand. Wedged between cabinets and shelves lined with all manner of supplies, she focused on it every time she found herself there. It helped her ignore the tourniquet that wrapped around her thin arm, the all too familiar prick in the crook of her elbow, the full tubes sent on a journey that always ended with bad news. That pressure never made her a diamond, but at least it earned her a cookie.

But for every appointment, every needle stick, every somber-faced doctor that stepped into her room, there had been one constant. Even in her worst moments, she could count on feeling a familiar hand wrap tight around hers, give a squeeze and tell her everything was all right. Even when it wouldn't be.

She longed for that voice now, more than anything else in the world. The loneliness pressed against her with every step, a weight so daunting she feared it might crush her heart flat at any moment. Alone and idle, she often could do little more than hold her head in her hands and weep. That's why she jumped at every possible distraction.

As she parried the club of the kobold opposite her, she silently thanked the beast.

Around others, both in the real world and in Aincrad, she kept her fear and anger buried. She'd taken to smiling constantly at a young age, no matter what life threw at her. That habit carried over to the virtual world as well. But secretly Doraku loved to battle, for there she found an outlet for all the feelings she suppressed. Behind every swing of the blade, she channeled the pent-up energy from her fear, frustration, and fury. And so, rather than take advantage of openings for attack, she opted to keep a defensive posture. When her sword did lash out, it parried incoming blows or targeted the kobold's weapon rather than its body. She toyed with her opponent as long as she could, enjoying the reprieve from her thoughts.

Then the kobold sidestepped her, and her heart leaped into her throat. She _wasn't_ alone, and her toying with the monster might have endangered her precious cargo.

Spinning on her heel, she saw it raise the club into the air, snarling at the motionless fencer. But Doraku was faster. The sword started to glow as she took a step back. Before her opponent could even register the activated skill, the sword sang through the air. A horizontal strike pierced the kobold's skin, then the blade doubled back. A second slash ripped another groove above the first, bright red polygons shimmering from the wounds. For a split second, the creature's face registered a look between rage and anger. An instant later, it shattered into misty light. Doraku dismissed the fight result screen and grabbed hold of the makeshift harness, and continued to drag the sleeping girl back through the dungeon.

It felt wrong to move the unconscious woman, let alone drag her like a sack of potatoes through the dungeon, but Doraku had no other choice. Her health meter hadn't budged but she remained motionless on the floor. As near as she could tell, the fencer collapsed from sheer exhaustion. A few kobold respawns convinced her that, even though she couldn't reach the nearest town like this, there were better places to wait for her to recover than the labyrinth. If... no, _when_ she awoke, there would be plenty of time to ask questions. Surely she had something to live for, something that would make her give up on the idea of another suicide mission.

She glanced over her shoulder, back to the young woman. Unconscious she was free of the panic and anger that marred her face when they first met, and she looked serene, almost angelic. Though she desperately wanted her to wake up, the thought of speaking to her again triggered a rush of butterflies in the pit of her stomach. Unlike the others she'd helped, she wanted to get to know the fencer, but the thought made her nervous. Ignoring the flush of warmth in her cheeks, she turned around, deciding it was due to the unique situation. One couldn't protect another person without feeling a little attachment, after all!

Just shy of the last set of stairs, a message notification popped up in the corner of her vision. Opening it was enough to elicit a rare frown from the young solo player. The message explained that a self-styled leader had called a meeting to discuss planning an assault on the dungeon. The name of the ringleader wasn't familiar, but she'd spent little time among the game's best players. The meeting would take place in three days, in the town of Tolbana.

The message ended with a simple question from her associate. _Will you be attending?_

She sighed and started to tap out a reply as she rounded a corner. Behind her, a dull thunk sounded against the side of the wall. She winced and turned just in time to see a IMMORTAL OBJECT warning fading away, just next to the fencer's head.

If she asked, Doraku would leave out that particular detail of their escape.

* * *

Consciousness returned to Asuna in fits and starts, a jumble of brief moments rather than anything coherent. The ceiling of the labyrinth passing by quickly overhead even though her legs weren't moving. In her addled state, it felt like flying. An instant later, something struck her at the base of her skull. Next, she saw the Aincradian sky stretched out overhead, a shooting star cutting a bright path across the heavens. The next sensation was sun's warmth on her face next, so she rolled to one side in desperate search of a more comfortable and, more importantly, darker position. When lucidity finally returned, a blurry form greeted her. Something far too close.

Her vision focused, and the face of a beast loomed large just in front of her.

She jumped to her feet with a start, then tumbled backward into a thicket of flowers, disappearing into them in an undignified heap. Scrambling for a better position, she turned her attention back to the beast that rattled her. A tiny rabbit, ears as long as its body, emerged from the middle of the flower field. Tilting its head curiously to one side, it studied Asuna for a few seconds then scampered away, long ears flagging behind it as it ran.

"Dumb bunny."

Asuna rubbed the back of her inexplicably tender neck and surveyed the scene. Her vision remained bleary, and the inside of her head felt like the practice space for a band with no real talent who tried to mask it by increasing the volume. Still, she needed to regain her bearings. A sleeping bag stretched out across the ground where she'd been laying, her sword in its sheath laid out next to it. Tall flowers in a rainbow of colors surrounded her, blanketing a small hill. At the summit stood a large tree, its broad branches casting deep shadows on all sides.

And there, leaning against its trunk, was the woman who saved her life.

You'd underestimate her based on looks alone, Asuna decided. In the daylight, the qualities Asuna noticed in the bleakness of the dungeon stood out even more boldly. Her face looked gentle, almost cherubic, but a hint of mischief glinted behind her eyes. At some point she'd pulled her hair out of the ponytail, using the mask as a bandanna to try and rein in her unruly locks. It almost worked, though her bangs spilled out on either side and framed her face, while another stubborn strand rose straight up above her forehead. Even with the sword beside her, she hardly looked like a warrior. She looked fragile and beautiful, like a flower on the verge of being blown apart in the wind.

They'd never met before that encounter in the dungeon. Even then, the swordswoman had never introduced herself. Nonetheless, Asuna knew her name without so much as asking.

Doraku.

She noticed Asuna back on her feet instantly and pushed away from the trunk, waving at her. Then she once again surprised Asuna, this time with a smile. A _smile_ of all things!

"Good, you're awake!" She waited as Asuna padded up the hill, which took the fencer longer than expected on her wobbly legs. "Sorry I dumped ya in the middle of all those flowers, but I couldn't think of another way to keep you hidden from the wandering mobs. It was hard enough getting past all the kobolds in the dungeon, so I thought I should wait until you were awake. Better to have two people fighting than one, right?"

The girl's rapid-fire delivery meshed with Asuna's aching head like oil and water, and she replied first with a groggy grunt. "How long was I out for?"

"Hmmm." Doraku leaned back, pressed a finger to her temple and pursed her lips. "Ten hours. Maybe a little more."

"I see." It took a moment for the number to register. When it clicked, she did a double take. "Wait. You were watching me the entire time?"

"Of course." The corner of her mouth twitched, fighting a frown. "Well, I did stop to eat but I kept looking up while I was doing it!"

"You must be exhausted!"

"Maybe a little." Her jaw dropped into a huge yawn she neglected to cover, instead stretching her arms out over her head. "You offering to keep watch while I take a nap?"

Asuna blinked. "Um. Well. I... I guess it's only fair. If you need to."

"I was kidding! Sheez, you're way too serious." Doraku giggled, only furthering the divide between Asuna's expectations of the almost mythical warrior and the reality in front of her. "I'm more hungry than tired, and I bet you're starving after being down there so long." She flopped back to the ground then opened her menu with one hand, gesturing for Asuna to sit with the other. "Now, where did I put it..."

"Why?" The fencer demanded.

The other girl shrugged. "I think it's because of... Merida called it, um, verisimilitude, I think? She liked big words like that. It means if we didn't get hungry or need to eat, it would ruin the immersion in the game. Plus you get to try-"

"No! I didn't mean why do we eat! I mean, why did you save me from the dungeon?"

Doraku stopped. The playfulness vanished. Her brow furrowed, eyes narrowed into a look of pure determination. For the first time since she awoke, Asuna saw in her the fearsome warrior that took down the kobold mob without missing her beat. When she spoke, her voice took on a serious tone, sorrow tinging the edges. "Because no one should want to die. And nobody should die alone."

People would underestimate her, Asuna thought. But they would regret doing so.

The moment passed and the fire faded, replaced by that warm smile once more. "Besides, you're pretty good! I bet you're gonna be an amazing player with more experience. Oh! I found it. You ready to have something to eat?"

Asuna almost declined the offer to appease the lingering embers of annoyance at the girl's interference. Her stomach, however, had other ideas and growled loud enough to be heard. With a sheepish look, she sat down next to her, though she tried to avoid her gaze.

"...sure."

An instant later, two bread rolls appeared in Doraku's hands. Asuna knew them well, as she'd all but lived off them during her two weeks in Aincrad. But along with the bread, a small jar also materialized that she set between them. When she pressed her finger to the top of it, it glowed. With a quick motion, she dragged the digit along the top of one of the rolls, which took on a glossy sheen. She offered the bread to Asuna, beaming.

Asuna, in turn, stared blankly at it.

"Go on, try it!" There was an impish quality to her smile, that flicker of mischief behind her eyes smoldering now.

"What did you do?"

"It's a surprise."

Asuna took the roll into her hand, peering at it from different angles then turned her attention back to Doraku. "...you poisoned it, didn't you?"

"Huh?"

"Your finger was _glowing_ , like our swords do before an attack. That means you did... something to the bread. How do I know I can trust you?"

It was Doraku's turn to stare in dumbfounded confusion. Then her face turned serious. "Yeah, you figured me out. I dragged you through five floors and watched over you for almost half a day on top of that. All so I could kill you with bread." The grin then returned in earnest. "Doncha see how silly that sounds?"

"I've met a few strange people in this game, so-" Asuna stopped. "Wait. You dragged me?" Her hand went to the tender spot at the base of her skull. "What, did you bounce my head on the stairs?"

"I can assure you," Doraku said solemnly, though a dusting of red colored her cheeks, "Your head never hit a single stair."

"You don't sound so sure."

"Um, the durability of this roll won't last forever, so you should try it before it goes to waste. I'll do the same thing to mine and eat it at the same time if that will convince you."

Asuna stared at the roll, mulling over the options. It did sound like a silly plot. Hesitantly, she took a small bite. Normally the bread rolls tasted like dark rye, surprisingly good if not a little dry. This roll tasted different, with a richness that permeated the bread and complimented its flavor perfectly. It had been so long since she tasted a different flavor it took her surprisingly long to place what she'd tasted.

"Is that... cream?"

"Yeah! Isn't it great? I've been saving it for..." She trailed off as Asuna was no longer listening, but devouring the bread. "Um, special occasion. I know how to get more, though! And I've heard there's even better food the higher you get into the castle. I can't wait to try all of them!"

"Huh? You mean you haven't?"

"Well, we're still on the first floor."

"But I thought you were a beta tester."

"Nope!" As she nibbled on her bread, she stopped and wrinkled her nose. "But why would you think anything about me when we've only just met?"

Asuna tilted her head. "But... you are Doraku, right? You _have_ to be. And all the stories about you... everyone says you have to have been a beta tester."

While the smile remained, it looked more forced than before. "Well. You've got one part of it right. Doraku was a beta tester."

"Then you're not her?"

"I am, but I'm not." She stopped, then giggled. "Wow! Now I'm the one who sounds a little crazy, huh?"

"Um, kind of, yeah."

She rubbed the back of her neck. "I've been telling everyone I meet that I'm Doraku, and since I've never formally joined their party, they haven't known any different. Doraku, the _real_ Doraku, was part of a guild during the beta test. She asked me to come here and..."

When she trailed off, Asuna looked back over. Her lower lip trembled, and for a second she could have sworn she saw tears welling up in her eyes. The sadness made her look that much more delicate, and Asuna felt a sudden strange urge to reach out and put a reassuring hand on her shoulder. But with a deep breath, Doraku banished whatever thoughts brought on the sorrow and continued.

"I wanted to find her guild and tell them why she couldn't join them on the release date. But I had trouble finding them. I didn't see their names on the Monument at all, but what if they changed their names! So I thought if I used her name when I helped people, the word might eventually get back to her guildmates. I still haven't had any luck yet, but I'll keep looking. And in the meantime, I can help people who really need it."

There were about a dozen questions swimming around in Asuna's mind after all of that. She only managed the obvious one. "If you're not Doraku, then who are you?"

"Doraku's friend, of course!" She finished the last bite of her bread then offered a hand. "Name's Yuuki. It's nice to meet you!"

That caught Asuna off guard, and it probably showed in her face.

An unexpected warmth fell over Asuna as her fingers brushed against Yuuki's. She'd hardly talked to anyone beyond Argo, so it marked the first time she'd had any actual contact with another human being in two weeks. It might have been nothing more than digital code simulating the actual sensation, but it _felt_ real. Yuuki's gentle grip belied her ferocity in battle, the skin on her hands soft and free of the callouses one might expect. Perhaps the game's simulated reality only went so far. All those thoughts went through her mind before she realized she'd been holding her hand far longer than she meant to. She pulled her hand back and looked away sheepishly.

"...I'm Asuna."

"Nice to meet ya!" Pulling away from the shake, Yuuki clasped her hands together and rested her chin atop them. "So Miss Asuna, what are you going to do now?"

"Go back to town and restock, I suppose."

"And then back to the labyrinth?"

"Probably."

"It didn't work out too great the last time."

"Maybe not. But at least I'd be doing something."

"You know," Yuuki said, then glanced over her shoulder at the labyrinth entrance, "If you're really going to throw yourself into that, you could use a better strategy. You were just using the most basic sword skill, after all!"

"Wait. There are others?"

"You... you're joking, right? There are a lot of things different about Sword Art Online compared to other games, but character progression works mostly the same. You just learn sword skills instead of magic or occupational abilities."

"Oh. Right. Of course." She nodded like she understood what the other girl was talking about.

"You're still a total newbie, aren't you?" Yuuki kipped up to her feet and looked across the field that stretched out in front of them. "If you're determined to do it again, why don't we journey back together? I could teach you a few things along the way."

"You're not going to try and talk me out of it?"

"It sounds like you've already made your mind up, and I doubt a stranger would be able to change it. The least I can do is give you a better chance to survive, right? If not, we just go our separate ways." Yuuki paused, and for another brief moment that earlier sadness returned to her face. "I don't think you should give up yet. No matter how bad it looks, as long as you're still alive there's always hope."

With that, she stretched her hand down in an offer to help Asuna to her feet. "I don't mind helping. But it's your choice."

She'd kept to herself since that first day, only occasionally bartering with Argo to pay for her room and food. She'd made a vow to herself never to partner with her fellow players again, uncertain if she could handle a repeat of what happened. But Yuuki could clearly take care of herself, having survived this long. And no matter her plans, she owed her for keeping her safe. She could consider their partnership a way of repaying that unspoken debt.

Besides, she clearly had a lot to learn, and Yuuki was willing to teach her without other conditions or expectations. Reaching out, she took her hand once more and rose to her feet.

"In that case, I'm ready to learn."

She'd been so startled by the return of that earlier sense of warmth that she didn't even realize the other surprise fact until they reached the bottom of the hill. When she gave Yuuki her answer, she'd been smiling.

* * *

Yuuki started to question the wisdom of her plan when she found herself staring down the gullet of a Midnight Dire Wolf.

To that point, her only regret had been that Asuna's smile faded quickly, a hint of blue sky peeking out from the dark clouds of a deluge. She responded to Yuuki's questions with the level of enthusiasm usually reserved for root canals and socks under the Christmas tree. Each step stabbed the ground like a hard kick, as though the soil itself somehow insulted her.

That paled in comparison to the way she fought when they encountered random mobs. Yuuki channeled anger into her strikes as well, but in a calculated manner, carefully planning her attacks based on the strengths and weaknesses of an enemy. Asuna, on the other hand, swung into battle as a blur of speed and ferocity, striking and slashing and scowling the entire time. Her aggressive fighting style was only fueled by the fact she picked up on every skill Yuuki taught her instantly. True, she didn't apply the strategic advice, but she understood it implicitly. Yuuki imagined that skill extended beyond Aincrad into the real world as well.

Everything Yuuki picked up on about her newfound traveling companion came from the context clues she picked up. In addition to her intelligence, Asuna carried herself with poise and dignity. Anyone could have picked up on her simmering rage, but she never directed it into a tirade against Yuuki. While she didn't say much, her tone always remained civil, her responses polite. That she was such a novice yet owned a NerveGear suggested her family didn't worry about money. The delicate braid in her hair only added to the impression of class and privilege.

Before long, Yuuki started to invent her own backstory and lost herself in the process. She'd been in the middle of debating whether Asuna was the daughter of a prominent politician or a pop star trying to escape her life of fame (that might explain the hooded cloak she wore) when she heard the howl. Two Dire Wolves leaped from the shadows. Yuuki barely had time to look up and start for her sword when a larger canine with jet black fur burst forward from the tree line. The Midnight Dire Wolf plowed into her and knocked her off balance, wrenching the sword from her hand as both tumbled to the ground.

With one hand she held back the maw of the wolf, the other groping for her sword or anything else she could use as a weapon. The wolf's teeth only scraped against her forearm, but even that brief contact chipped away at her health bar. Just then, her fingers closed around something solid. Not her sword. A fallen tree branch. She snatched it up and wedged the stick into the open jaw. The vice-like jaws slammed shut, and the branch's durability lasted only seconds before it shattered.

Yuuki needed only those few seconds. She drove her knee hard into the wolf's ribs. Just a sliver of its health vanished, but it also forced the wolf into a defensive counter. That gave her a chance to skitter out from beneath it, rolling to the side just as it drove its massive paws down, sending a cloud of dirt and gravel into the air. The cooldown from the attack gave Yuuki a chance to scramble back to her feet, recover her sword and chance a look at Asuna.

The other girl faced off against two ordinary Dire Wolves... well, as ordinary as a pair of bloodthirsty massive wolves could be, anyway. They'd formed a pincer around her, attacking from two sides. Only Asuna's quick reaction time kept her safe, and she even managed a strike between parrying their attacks. She might be able to handle them on her own, but Yuuki wanted to deal with her opponent quickly so she could help her partner.

The larger wolf had other ideas and closed the distance between them in an instant. Yuuki twirled around the leaping strike, pivoted away from the snapping jaw that followed. Her blade flashed but the wolf dodged, the slash leaving only a tiny red wound on its side. The wolf snarled and charged. Yuuki pirouetted and the monster barreled past like an angry bull. The dance continued a few more movements as the Dire Wolf lashed out with its teeth and claws and Yuuki knocked each attack aside with her blade. Unlike the kobold, she wasn't toying with her opponent. She studied its patterns, the tells for which attack would come next, the cooldown times and vulnerabilities laid bare after the strike. Soon, she knew how to defeat it.

She stood with her sword down and idle, presenting an easy target. The wolf's legs spread apart a split second before it bolted forward into its pounce. Yuuki held her ground as it neared, timing her dodge perfectly. As she peeled off to the side, her sword began to glow. Landing in front of her, the Midnight Dire Wolf's back was completely exposed. As soon as the cooldown started, Yuuki's sword skill started and the system took over. Three quick slashes. Diagonal. Horizontal. Vertical. All three unleashed with savage speed. The wolf never knew what hit it, shattering into a cloud of polygons that drifted away in the wind.

Yuuki turned back to the fencer just in time to see her dispatch the last remaining wolf with a sword skill of her own, and she breathed out a sigh of relief.

"That was great! You're really getting the hang of this."

"I didn't have a lot of choice." Asuna's breathing was labored as she walked over. "Are you okay?"

"I took a little damage but nothing too bad. You?"

"I had to use my last healing pot, and we're not close to the Town of Beginnings yet."

"Hmmm." Yuuki paused and opened up her menu. "We're not far from Horunka Village. Maybe we could get some supplies there."

"...there are different towns on this floor? And they sell items too?"

"Of course." Yuuki blinked. "Um, Asuna? How many RPGs have you played before this one?"

"Um." Her eyes darted away, and her reply came as a barely audible whisper. "None."

Yuuki blanched. "And... how many video games?"

"A few." Asuna bit her lower lip. "On my phone. Mostly Tetris."

That settled it. Her parents _had_ to be rich to afford a NerveGear and one of the ten thousand copies of the game for someone who'd never so much as tried her hand at an RPG before. Still, she couldn't waste valuable time asking questions Asuna more than likely wouldn't answer.

"Okay, so in an MMORPG like this, one of the best parts is exploring and finding new stuff! And sometimes you even unlock special quests in different towns. Maybe we'll find something cool in Horunka!"

"Then we should go there." Asuna sighed. "If they don't have any more healing items, though, we're probably in big trouble."

"I thought you didn't care about surviving."

"You still have a lot to teach me, right?"

"I can keep teaching you until the hundredth floor if that's what it takes."

"Is that a promise or a threat?"

The fencer didn't smile, but Yuuki could clearly see her making an effort not to. Maybe she'd managed to light a spark of hope within her after all. Her own smile brightened.

"If it keeps you alive, then consider it a promise."


	3. Chapter 3

While the Town of Beginnings mimicked the busiest districts of Tokyo in size and activity, Horunka evoked Magome-juku. Though Horunka had far fewer buildings than that city in the real world, everything from the lazy sloping paths to the waterwheel attached to one of the larger buildings reminded Asuna of stops there on the way to visit her grandparents. A small brook cut through the town, babbling under a rough-hewn bridge and alongside cobblestone paths, enhancing the sense of natural serenity. Under normal circumstances, such a place would wash her anxiety away.

The scent spoiled any chance of that.

It wasn't unpleasant. Far from it! One whiff conjured images of snow blanketing the ground outside, a warm bowl cradled in her hands. The smells of seasoned meat and stir-fried vegetables mingled with a sauce equal parts salty and sweet. Dashi, soy, mirin, she guessed, with distinct notes of garlic. Two weeks in the Town of Beginnings and she'd never once smelled anything like this. It permeated the air as if coming from all directions. Try as Asuna might she couldn't locate its source.

She glanced to Yuuki and caught a glimpse of longing in her face, though as soon as their eyes met Yuuki's cheeks turned pink and she looked away quickly. _Guess she's as hungry as I am but doesn't want to admit it_ , Asuna thought. She grappled with the smell and trying to push it from her thoughts with little success. She needed to focus on the task at hand.

Yuuki beat her to the punch, scanning the street with one hand cupped over her eyes. She pointed to a building with an attached market stall, its large wooden shutter propped up over it like an awning. The sign identifying was a small wooden placard as opposed to the bold colorful banners in the Town of Beginnings, its selection of goods on display far more limited than the bigger shops. A merchant NPC stood behind the counter, head propped up by his elbow and yawning every few seconds in an idle animation.

"There it is! Let's go load up on hot pots." The coloring in her cheeks deepened. "Er, I mean, healing potions."

Asuna nodded, tamping down a chuckle. "Maybe we can get better equipment too. Something with..." She struggled a moment."...defense or attack buffs built in?"

Yuuki giggled. "Gosh Asuna. A couple hours of lessons and you're already using the lingo! You're probably a good student, huh?"

She shifted uncomfortably. "Um. I do okay."

"We might be able to pick up some new armor, but that can get pretty expensive. As for weapons..." She shrugged. "There might be some rare drops, but we'll probably need a blacksmith to upgrade those. Think I heard they don't start showing up for another couple floors."

"I remember someone telling me about that." Argo the Rat mentioned a blacksmithing skill once when she cornered Asuna in the inn, though she often tuned her out when she started rambling about the deeper game mechanics. In the future, she'd make it a point to listen.

"We'll get there eventually!"

Yuuki beamed, an expression that lingered as she chatted away with the shopkeeper. She still baffled the fencer. Unlike everyone else she'd met, Yuuki seemingly enjoyed every second of her time in their virtual prison. Her cheerful mood remained in place no matter the circumstances and she sought out the silver lining in all of Asuna's complaints with the tenacity of a bloodhound.

Even stranger, that wide-eyed optimism started to infect Asuna. While she first felt annoyed at her lack of urgency to return home, Yuuki chipped away at her cynicism the more time they spent together. The last fights before they reached Horunka went better, the blade feeling more comfortable in her hand. Her conversations with the other girl also grew easier as well. Before long, she found herself looking forward to hearing that impish giggle.

A pop-up menu pulled Asuna from her thoughts, startling her enough to make her jump.

YUUKI HAS OFFERED YOU TEN HEALING POTIONS. ACCEPT?

She accepted then navigated to the transfer screen to pay her back, but Yuuki shook her head.

"Don't worry about it, got plenty of cor to spare!"

"You saved my life, kept watch over me, shared your food, taught me about the game and now you're giving me items. I'm starting to feel a little guilty."

"I don't mind! I like helping people." Yuuki ducked her head, gave a sheepish grin. "It's lonely being a solo player, so it's... kinda been fun to spend time with you."

Calling anything about this game fun struck Asuna as strange. Still, her time alongside Yuuki had been the closest thing to it since Kayaba's announcement. But Asuna's stubborn pride followed her into the virtual world and she refused to take so much without giving something back in return. Yuuki's refusal to accept her money complicated things, but she'd think of something.

Her attention wandered long enough to notice that mysterious aroma of food again. Once again her stomach growled loud enough for Yuuki to hear, prompting another giggle. Another flutter of warmth that Asuna hadn't felt in weeks. Then she knew the answer.

"Lunch."

"Huh?"

"I'm going to buy you lunch. No arguments."

"Uh, no offense Asuna, but we're closer to dinner time."

"Fine. I'll buy you dinner then." She clasped Yuuki by the wrist and dragged her away from the stall. The shorter girl stumbled, almost tripping before falling in step with her. "We're going to find wherever that smell is coming from and have some!"

"It sort of smells like udon, doesn't it? I hope so. Mama made the best udon..."

She trailed off and slowed, eventually coming to a halt. When Asuna turned around, she was greeted by the rare sight of Yuuki without a smile on her face. Her head was down, shoulders slumped. Asuna approached her slowly and tried to force a weak smile of her own.

"I miss my family too. But with someone as determined and skilled as you, I know we'll get out of this game." The words came out without much thought, and Asuna was surprised that she genuinely meant them. "I bet you'll be having your mother's udon again before you know it."

"R-right." She took in a halting breath and nodded, but the smile she gave in return short of her eyes. "We'll get out."

Asuna resumed her search, Yuuki falling in lockstep beside her. No signs for a restaurant presented themselves, nor an inn. She crossed over the bridge to the other section of town undaunted. Asuna was now a woman possessed and wouldn't be denied that bounty of the meal that taunted them both.

Then she felt it. Fingers glided across the back of her palm, starting to curl around to take hold of her hand. She wrenched it away, pulling her arms in tight. Once she saw the crestfallen look on Yuuki's face she couldn't meet her gaze, but still refused to reach out to her. She could fight alongside her and manage a pleasant conversation, but it would go no further. She refused to let anyone get close, to let herself care about anyone in this game or consider them a friend.

Not since that first day.

Not since Naeb.

* * *

Picture a room in pitch darkness without even a sliver of light peeking in. Then a bank of floodlights sparks to life and bathes everything in brightness. Now imagine the same but with all five senses: Utter silence to a full orchestra playing a crescendo, numbness to pinpricks across your entire body, a lack of smell to the kitchen of a French restaurant. To complete the experience, when your brain and nervous system stop screaming at once another and you regain a semblance of coherency, you awaken in a different body than the one you called home a minute earlier, in a world patently not your own.

Between nausea and dizziness, most people's first moments in fully immersive VR looked less like the beginning of an epic adventure and more like the aftermath of a particularly successful party.

Asuna had taken a handful of precautions based on the recommendations of her brother. She'd gone through all the NerveGear tutorials, got plenty of sleep the night before and designed an avatar at her own height. None of it helped. Her stomach lurched at the initial connection, eyes taking longer than expected to adjust to her new surroundings. When they did, her dizziness made the expanse of the Town of Beginnings seem to wash up and down like a gentle tide. Aincrad attacked her with a flood of bright colors and stylized design, eager to discard her reality and replace it with its own.

She took in a deep breath, but couldn't feel it fill her lungs. Her avatar didn't have them, after all. But she refused to cave, she _would_ explore this strange new world. She took a confident first step into this bold new world and immediately pitched forward. The ground of below rushed at her, ready to make the acquaintance of yet another new player.

To say that Asuna's first impressions of Sword Art Online weren't favorable would've been a profound understatement. She reached her hand out, ready to log out and write the whole thing off as foolish.

 _You can be anything_. Asuna remembered those words as she lay against the cold stone of the courtyard. A world where she'd go as far as her skill could take her. A world where she could choose her own path. A world where she wouldn't be a prisoner to someone anyone else's whim. That's the way Kouichirou described it to her. She pulled her hand back, dragged herself to her knees and tried to recompose herself.

At least she wasn't alone in her awkwardness. At least a dozen players swayed and slipped as though the cobblestone were an ice rink. A player with long spiky red hair held back by a bandanna crashed only a few feet away, then flashed her a grin and a thumbs up before staggering back to his feet... only to fall again. But a few players found success, celebrating first steps as though they'd beaten the floor boss.

Asuna dragged herself upright, narrowly avoiding another fall in the process. She closed her eyes, focused. One foot in front of the other. Simple. Easy. She took her first step. Remained upright. Another step. A near fall. Another, steadier this time. She kept eyes on her feet as she pressed on. She moved as cautiously as a tight rope walker over a shark tank. A little further and she started to find her rhythm. Walking came easier with each step. She could even move in a straight line now! Soon she picked up speed, walking at a brisk pace, finally felt confident enough to look up-

-just in time to see the other player a split second before she barreled into him. They tumbled in opposite directions and hit the ground hard. As she sat up, a system message appeared in front of her.

SAFE ZONE. Attacks against other players are not allowed!

"It's not like I meant to," she grumbled.

"I didn't either. No hard feelings either way?"

The stranger was already back to his feet. He stood at least six feet tall, with long silver hair that spilled out to frame his youthful face. Just like Asuna, he wore the light armor of a fencer, with a dark violet cape and tunic that matched his eyes. Asuna noticed those details before the hand he offered to her, which she finally took and staggered back to her feet. His hand felt soft, warm. Almost like the real thing. She held it a second or two longer than needed before pulling free and felt a flush of warmth to her cheeks.

 _Please tell me the game doesn't render blushing. Please._

"Er... no. No hard feelings at all."

If he noticed her embarrassment, he didn't call attention to it. "You must be new."

"That obvious?"

"Well, there were only a thousand of us in the beta, so odds are you're a newbie." He paused, smiled. _Oh no, his avatar has dimples._ "The poor balance was kind of a giveaway too. But I've seen worse. You're not doing bad so far!"

"Thanks... I think?"

"It's definitely a compliment. Name's Naeb, by the way."

"O-Oh! I'm Asuna."

"That's a cool alias. Nice customization on your avatar, too! Love how the blue and gray work together." He glanced around the courtyard. "Were you meeting friends here?"

She shook her head. "I never really played games before, but I wanted to see what all the fuss was about with this game. My brother took part in the beta test, but couldn't be here for the actual launch. So I guess I'm just here solo."

"I see." He nodded then leaned in, close enough for that flushed feeling to return to Asuna's face. "Doesn't really matter to me, but for some people talking about the world outside this game is a pretty big taboo. Say it ruins the illusion or something silly like that."

"Oh. Thanks for the warning."

Naeb looked around once more, then turned back to Asuna. "Looks like my friends haven't shown up yet. If you want, we could form a party and I could show you a little bit about the game."

"I wouldn't want to slow you down."

"You wouldn't slow me down! I'm not one of these win-at-any-cost types. I'm here to have fun." He shrugged, then smirked again. "Besides, the way we bumped into each other feels like a fated meeting between heroes. I think we're obligated to partner up for at least a little bit. If there's one thing you can't do in an RPG, it's deny fate."

"R-Really?"

"Nah. That's only in the older story-driven JRPGs."

"I wouldn't know, I haven't played many games before."

"This is one heck of a choice to start with. But hey, it might get you hooked all the same." He rubbed the back of his neck. "I mean, no pressure if you don't want to. Last thing I want to do is be a pushy jerk. But the offer stands."

Asuna pondered the offer. She hadn't planned to stay all that long, and joining an experienced player like Naeb meant she could maximize her time. She felt at ease around him as well. _Okay, and maybe he's got a cute smile. It's a bunch of ones and zeroes, but that doesn't make it any less cute._

"That sounds like fun."

"Great. Maybe we can pick up a few more people along the way. It gets easier the more people you team up with, after all! But if it ends up just the two of us, we'll make do. It's better than running solo, that's for sure." He stopped and tilted his head to the side. "After all, stumbling around isn't so scary if you have someone to pick you back up."

 _Cute smile confirmed_. Maybe she'd enjoy her time in the game after all.

* * *

Before venturing into the virtual world, Asuna found pigs cute. Harmless. Then she encountered the boars wandering the outskirts of the Town of Beginnings. Between their glowing red eyes, sharp tusks and AI full of bad intentions, she'd never look at them the same way again. After she logged out, she'd talk her mother into tonkatsu for dinner. And, as she ate the pork dish, she'd imagine it was the ultimate fate of these monsters.

One of them barreled into Asuna and slammed her to the ground, slicing off enough of her health bar to push it into the yellow. Besides her, a young man dressed in all black charged forward and swung his blade, the edge biting into the boar's back. Despite the vicious attack, the boar's health bar only nudged down. Asuna staggered back to her feet in time to parry a strike from a second boar.

"Come on," a voice behind them called out. "These things are the most basic enemies in the whole game!"

Asuna glared at the blue haired warrior who stood behind them, shield held loosely at his side, blade still tucked in its scabbard. That distraction almost cost her dearly. Only the timely intervention of the swordsman in black kept her from taking another hit. He pushed her aside and parried away the attack, then glared back at him.

"You could be helping!"

"I _am_ helping. I'm analyzing your performance, Takaharu. Want to know how bad you're doing?"

Before anyone either of them could launch another attack, Naeb burst into the fray and drew his blade.

"Let me show you," he said. As he drew his sword back it took on a bluish-green glow. An instant later it lashed out with more speed and force than any of the pair's strikes, lopping off a good chunk of the boar's health bar.

"Whoa," Asuna said as the boar tried staggered back to its feet.

"That's a Sword Skill," he said. "Asuna, as a Fencer you can use the same one I did, called Linear. Try using it!"

"How?"

"As you're about to attack, think of that word." He held back the two boars with his blade, casually brushing aside their attacks as he explained. "Just think about what you want to do before you do it." He paused, then added, "If it helps, you can go full shounen anime and call out your attacks until you get the hang of it. Takaharu, same goes for you, but your skill is called Horizontal."

"Horizontal!" Takaharu cried out, swinging his sword forward at the second boar. Just like Naeb, his blade started to glow and struck the boar with a devastating attack.

Asuna met Naeb's gaze, and he nodded.

"Switch!"

He stepped back and Asuna charged forward, pulling back her sword.

 _Linear!_

As the blade started to glow, her arm moved of its own accord, pulling back then thrusting forward just as Naeb's had. The blade struck true and the boar's health bar dropped as it staggered backward. For an instant, Asuna stood with the sword jutting forward and, try as she might, her body wouldn't move.

The boar recovered, charged.

The distance between them closed.

Closer.

Closer.

Her blade shook free just as the boar came into the strike zone of her sword.

 _"Linear!"_ She screamed the command aloud this time as her blade pulled back again and launched into the sword skill again.

The boar never stood a chance. The strike stripped the last of its health and it froze in mid-air before exploding into a shower of multi-colored polygons. She turned around in time to see Takaharu dispatch the other boar with a quick strike of his own.

"Wow, very good!" Naeb said. "Especially you, Asuna. You recovered from the cooldown time and chained together that second Linear without even needing me to tell you."

"Yeah, amazing!" The blue haired swordsman walked over and handed Asuna and Takaharu a healing potion. "Think you two can figure out how to use these on your own too?"

Naeb rolled his eyes. "You'll have to forgive Diavel. He got pretty good during the beta but forgets I was there when he first logged in. Do you _want_ me to tell them how long it took you to walk without falling on your face?"

"Thirty-seven minutes, and if it had taken a minute more I would've resigned myself to my fate and become the finest crawler Aincrad had ever seen."

Even with the generous helpings of teasing from Diavel, Asuna had already liked her newfound companions. She and Naeb ran into Takaharu not long after their first meeting, having about as much luck with his first steps as Asuna (and, apparently, Diavel). Asuna learned he too was using full dive technology for the first time but was more guarded with his reasons. He said he wanted to understand the appeal of this world, and left it at that. He contrasted almost perfectly with Naeb's knight-like appearance, looking every bit the rugged outsider.

Diavel called himself the Yuri to Naeb's Flynn. Asuna assumed that reference made sense to someone more familiar with video games. He wore heavier armor than Naeb, albeit with blue trim instead of silver and purple. He lacked Naeb's dimples, his grin wry and almost always accompanied by a joke or sarcastic comment. That he let himself be the butt of the joke as often as others made it charming rather than infuriating. He'd met Naeb met during the beta test, and Asuna had the impression they'd met offline as well.

"Anyway, there's a lot to learn, but we've got plenty of time for that," Naeb said. "I'm sure no one's headed for the dungeons right away."

"Don't be sure about that," Diavel said with a frown.

"You're still bitter about that kid?

"He stole the last attack bonus from me during the boss raids."

"He was just attacking at the same time as you, so-"

"He did it to me t _wice._ And I wasn't the only one he pulled that with, either!"

"And you've got a hundred floors to pay him back, _if_ he's even still playing. Besides, Kayaba's has some elaborate opening ceremony planned for the game, remember?"

"Yeah. I'm sure Mr. Last Attack Bonus cares about that."

"If he doesn't, that's his loss. He's missing what makes this game special."

"What do you mean?" Asuna asked.

"This world's remarkable, and it's all in the details. Watch the flowers long enough, you'll see bees pollinating them. The forest's teeming with wildlife, and you can only harvest a few of them. There are minute changes in the speed and direction of the breeze, the water ebbs and flows like there's a tide... all those little things add up and make the world more immersive. I heard Kayaba actually took some of his programmers and studied with Imagineers for a couple weeks when he started heavy design work for SAO, and it shows."

"I haven't been to Disneyland since I was little," Diavel said. None of the four companions cared too much for the infamous real-life taboo, as it turned out. "I hear the new Avengers attraction is incredible."

"My parents took me and my brother to DisneySea a couple of years ago, but I didn't get to see everything," Takaharu added. "I need to go back!"

"I've never been."

The other three spun around and looked at Asuna as though she'd spontaneously sprouted wings.

"Never?"

She shrugged. "My parents never really saw the point."

"Blasphemy." Naeb frowned. "The Japanese parks are great. I mean, it's not quite the same as if you were walking through the original park in California. And they just opened the fifth park in Florida. But ours are a lot of fun, and you don't have to cross an ocean to get to them."

"Hopefully I'll get the chance to visit them someday."

Naeb rubbed his chin, then snapped his fingers. "I've got it. You know what we should do?"

"Fight more monsters?" Diavel said hopefully.

"We stick together. Maybe form a guild when the quest's available."

Diavel's eyebrows rose in surprise. "You really want to form a guild?"

"As long as it's with the four of you. But here's the thing. Given how far we got during the beta, I think we'll hit the twenty-fifth floor in a year. If we don't all hate each other by then, we pick a day and meet up at Disneyland or DisneySea."

"That sounds like fun!" Takaharu said.

"I'd love to meet up again," Diavel added.

"Asuna?"

The young fencer thought on it. She could imagine the look on her mother's face when she asked about going somewhere as frivolous as a theme park, let alone with people she'd met in a video game. But she could talk her father into it, and then maybe she could cut a deal with her mother. Hitting certain marks in classes, maybe. She had a year to work out the details, after all. Her smile broadened the more she thought about it, then finally she nodded.

"I'd love to."

"Then it's settled." Naeb paused. "Sea stands for Society of Explorers and Adventurers, so maybe we could be the Society of Aincrad Warriors."

"SAW?" Takaharu wrinkled his nose.

"It's a work in progress. Besides, we have plenty of time before we can even start the guild quest." Naeb smirked. "And how about this? If one of us gets the last attack bonus on the boss for twenty-five, the others have to buy their ticket."

"As long as that bastard in black doesn't get it, I'll be happy. Er, not you, Takaharu. Sorry!" He looked back to the others. "Before we get too far ahead of ourselves, our newbies probably need more training."

"I'm up for more. I've got a few hours until practice starts," Takaharu said.

"I'll pass," Naeb said. "I've been going pretty much since the start. Time for a break." He swiped the menu, then tilted his head to the side. "Huh. Weird. Guess they disabled the logout until the opening ceremonies. Still think I'm gonna sit this round out, though."

"Me too," Asuna said. "But I'd love to hear more about Aincrad if you don't mind me asking questions."

"I don't mind at all. We'll just be on the hill over there when you two are done."

Diavel nodded, but Asuna couldn't help but notice the way his gaze lingered on them a moment. The beginnings of a frown tugged at the corners of his mouth as he and Takaharu walked off. She couldn't be sure, but it felt like he suddenly regretted his choice.

* * *

"What's the most interesting thing you've seen in Aincrad?" Asuna asked as they sat atop the hill, watching Diavel and Takaharu fight more wild boars.

"Present company excluded?"

Damn the way Aincrad made her feel even the slightest blush. Once again she hoped it didn't show. "If I'm the most interesting thing you've seen here then I doubt you've done much exploring."

He laughed. "Sorry. Can't let Diavel do all the teasing, right?" Leaning back, he looked up at the sky as a few wispy clouds floated past. "There's an event a few floors up that involves elves."

"Elves?"

"Mmmm hmmm. It's the first piece of a pretty elaborate quest, but it starts when you stumble across two elves fighting. You choose which one of help so I picked the dark elf. I really wanted to save her."

"Did she...?"

"Yeah. She died saving my life. It's a real shame." He chuckled nervously, then added, "She was pretty cute."

"Maybe with the four of us, we can save her."

"I don't think we could. Pretty sure it's a mandatory loss kind of thing."

"That's not fair!"

"It's a storytelling technique from back in the JRPG days. It's cheap, but it's a good way to get you invested in a story."

He paused, stretching a hand out to the sky above. "There was one other thing... there's a lake a few floors up. Most of the time, the water's perfectly still so it's like a mirror. At night, when the stars are out and the fireflies are drifting through the air... it feels like you're dancing in the stars."

"That sounds amazing." Asuna ran her fingers over the grass next to her. It felt strange. She'd been in the virtual world of Aincrad such a short time, yet felt like she belonged. During her brief stint with Naeb, Takaharu, and Diavel, she felt like she'd had more real conversations than in years of spending time with her classmates. Perhaps that comfort explained why she continued. "When I was was ten, I wanted to be an astronaut more than anything in the world. I know the names of every Japanese astronaut, memorized star charts and even dragged my dad to a program at the Miraikan."

"What stopped you?"

"Finding out how sick you got when you first went into space." After a moment, her shoulders slumped. "That, and my parents."

"They pressured you a lot?"

She nodded. "They wanted me to focus on something practical, which meant following one of their paths. But I don't have a passion for economics like my mother, and I know I don't want a career in business either."

"So what do you want to do?"

She ducked her head forward. "Haven't figured that part out yet. How about you?"

"You'd laugh."

"You don't have to tell me, but... I swear I won't laugh."

Naeb took in a deep breath. "I talk about all this Disney stuff because I want to be an Imagineer. That's part of the reason I love spending time here, I want to see how people like Kayaba build their worlds. One day, I want to do the same thing in the real world."

"I'm guessing it's not an easy job to get."

"It's not as tough as, say, becoming an astronaut, but it's not walk in the park either. No pun intended."

"Still, it sounds like an amazing career!"

"Could you tell my dad that?" Naeb sighed. "Three generations of doctors and they want me to be number four. Never mind that I've got some offers to some great engineering and design schools. Smith College in the United States even offered me a full scholarship to study art or engineering. I'd hate every second of medical school. My dream is to create something that touches the lives of others. Imagine helping people through the most difficult of days, offering them a little escape from the stress of everyday life. That's what I want to make. The sort of thing I needed. And, from the sound of it, something you could use too."

"Something kind of like Sword Art Online?"

"It's something to do until you figure out what's next, at least."

"I never expected to feel this way about a video game, but I think I'd like to come back. To see if we could reach that twenty-fifth floor."

"Does this mean you're not giving your brother's NerveGear back to him?"

"If I need to, I'll get my own."

"They're not cheap. You must be pretty well off."

Asuna huffed and put a hand on her hip. "Or maybe I'd feel motivated to work hard and save money, so I could keep hunting monsters and having conversations with interesting people."

"I see. I hope you meet some eventually, then."

"Maybe I already have."

Her hand brushed over the grass again, but this time her fingers slipped past his. They exchanged a look.

"You shouldn't rush to judgment."

He had a point. But Asuna had never met anyone like Naeb before. At times it felt like a competition between her classmates for higher test scores and eventually greater prestige. Naeb cared about none of that. He cared little for clearing dungeons first nor his rank in class. He wanted to make the world a better place and to help others. She wanted to see where that desire would take him, how he'd change the world for the better.

"First impressions are important, but I'll have a year to decide whether or not I'm right."

For the first time since they'd met, Naeb's smile faded. "Asuna, it'll be a lot of fun to meet up and all, but... you never know. I might not be quite what you're expecting offline."

"My brother told me there are parts of ourselves we never want to show." Without realizing it, her thumb rubbed against the base of her ring finger. "Maybe that's true. But I don't think discovering a different side of someone isn't bad. Who knows, what you find might make you like someone even more. That's why... I think it would be nice to meet the real you, Naeb."

It was his turn to blush now, and Asuna realized with horror the game not only registered the embarrassment but seemed to exaggerate it as well.

"Even if I'm not nearly this handsome in real life?"

She shrugged. "You don't even know that I'm really a girl, do you?"

"In that case, I'll tell you the truth." Naeb's smile melted. He closed his eyes, took in a sharp breath. "My hair's not really silver. It's blue."

"Oh. In that case forget everything I said earlier, the guild's off."

Neither of them could hold back their laughter after that.

"You two rested up yet?" Diavel asked a short time later as he approached, Takaharu in tow. "The opening ceremony's supposed to start in a little while. I figured we could head back into town, try to get good seats."

"Sure." Asuna got back to her feet and walked toward them. She'd taken only a few steps when she realized Naeb hadn't joined her. Instead, he'd fallen to one knee as he tried to get up, fingers pressed against his temple.

"Naeb?"

He waved them off. "I... I'm fine. I think. Just felt really dizzy all of the sudden." He rose to his feet, then plunged forward after his first step. Asuna barely managed to catch him before he hit the ground.

"Okay, I get it. You're razzing me," Diavel said. "Very funny, but you-"

"No." Naeb's voice was strained now, breaking up like a bad cell phone connection. "Something's wrong... trouble controlling... interference..."

The other two ran to his side, flanking Asuna. All three traded looks of concern.

"Did anything like this happen in the beta?"

Diavel shook his head. "Normally you'd just log out. This is..."

"I'm sure he'll be okay," Takaharu said. The look on his face suggested he wasn't so sure.

"Bet my mom's just upset I've been playing so long," Naeb said, his voice clear once again. "I bet she's trying to unhook-"

He never finished the sentence. Instead, he threw his head back and let out a loud, agonized scream. The static returned. For a moment, a second, higher pitched voice screamed in unison with Naeb. His hand clamped onto Asuna's. Their eyes met. He started to say something, but no words came out. He froze like a statue then started to glow. An instant later, he shattered into polygons just like the boar, leaving Asuna's arms empty.

"Is that supposed to happen?" Takaharu shivered. "That scream..."

"P-probably just a malfunction. Let's get back to the Town of Beginnings, I'm sure he'll respawn in no time."

They returned to the Town of Beginnings, weaved their way through the streets. They ignored murmurs about the missing logout button and the increased panic that drove them. Finally, they arrived at the building that housed the Chamber of Resurrection.

However, they didn't see the large altar that Diavel told them to expect. Instead, they saw a massive stone monument. The green marble looked black from most angles, sucking in all the light around it like a black hole. Carved into the surface were ten thousand names. They found Naeb's name there, the only one with a line cut across it. As they watched, lines obliterated three more names. It was only a short time later that Kayaba made his announcement and they learned the significance of what they'd seen.

Naeb was the first victim of Sword Art Online.

* * *

 ** _Author's Note -_**

First of all, apologies for the delays on this chapter. I'm happy to report I've got the next few installments in at least a draft zero form, so I hope to reduce the delays between chapters going forward.

There's not a lot of Yuuki here, but I wanted to tell the story of Naeb and how it will inform Asuna's journey going forward. The idea that someone could have disconnected the NerveGear even before Kayaba's announcement is a horrific thought and underscores the seriousness of the situation. I came to like Naeb as I developed him and following through was a difficult decision for me. But his fate will have a huge impact on Asuna going forward.

I'll close the A/N by reassuring you that Chapter Four will be all Asuna and Yuuki, and those of you familiar with the light novels might have a good idea of what's going to happen next, though as always I've got a few twists and turns to keep you guessing.

Thanks for reading! Comments, questions and critiques are always welcome! I tried a few different things with the narrative. Hopefully they worked, or at least didn't derail things too badly.


	4. Chapter 4

"This doesn't seem right."

Yuuki stopped, her hand just shy of the door in front of them. "Huh?"

"We can't just barge in."

"People do it all the time!"

"But this is someone's home! I doubt they want us coming in without knocking first."

They'd tracked the smell of food to a quaint cottage at the edge of town. Everything from the rough hewn stone walls and thatched roof to the window planter boxes filled with brightly colored flowers lent the house a rustic and inviting feel. Though the architectural styles were completely different, the atmosphere it projected reminded her of a certain white house in Hodogaya-ku.

"This is perfectly normal in a game. Remember when you said you'd mostly played a lot of Tetris?"

Asuna folded her arms over her chest. "Are you going to bring that up every time we disagree about something?"

"Yes," Yuuki replied with a giggle. "Walking into people's homes is totally normal in RPGs! In some you could even open up treasure chests and throw pots on the ground to see if there were items hidden inside."

Asuna wagged her finger. "That's called theft and vandalism."

"No one's gonna arrest us."

"It's the principle of the thing!"

They'd keep arguing like this all day, so Yuuki changed up her tactics. She spun around and slouched, then pulled in her shoulders to appear even smaller than usual. Her eyes widened, lower lip jutted out. She tapped two fingers together timidly, her voice barely a whisper when she spoke again. "But Miss Asuna, you _promised_ you'd buy me lunch. Nowhere else in town sells food, and I'm starting to feel so hungry..."

"I'm not sure what's more dangerous, your sword or those puppy dog eyes."

"Are they working?"

Asuna sighed. "Open the door."

As soon as the door opened, the smell assaulted them, potent enough now to detect the fine details of citrus, cayenne and ginger. Shichimi Togarashi, it had to be! The interior felt cozy rather than cramped. A few pieces of furniture, a handful of tasteful decorations on the wall and the hutch by the dining room, nothing too fancy. The kitchen was separated from the living room by only a counter top, and they could easily see the stove and the large stock pot that simmered on top. A middle aged woman with dark circles around her stirred, not even stopping when she regarded the two with a weary expression.

"Hail and well met, young adventurers."

Yuuki playfully jabbed an elbow into Asuna's side. "See? Told ya she wouldn't mind!"

"Doesn't make it any less weird."

"Bet the smell was a hint to lure us here. There's gotta be something here!"

"Like the food?"

"You must be tired from your journey. I wish I could offer you more than a cup of water, but I fear I have nothing to spare at the moment."

"Huh?" Asuna took a step forward and pointed at the pot. "You've got a giant pot of soup right there!"

"Yeah! What's the deal?"

The woman stared at them with a blank expression. After a few seconds of silence, she spoke again. "Hail and well met, young adventurers. You must be tired from your journey. I wish I could offer you more than a cup of water, but I fear I have nothing to spare at the moment."

Asuna frowned. "We broke her. Told you coming in here was a bad idea."

"Huh. Merida said one weak part of the game was that the AIs were kinda limited, so they can only accept a few different answers."

"Hail and well met, young adventurers..."

"So what do we do?" Asuna asked.

"...I wish I could offer you more..."

"I dunno. Are you thirsty?"

"Not particularly."

"...nothing to spare..."

"Maybe we need to say yes to trigger whatever happens next."

"It's worth a shot."

Yuuki turned back to the woman. "Water would be wonderful. Thank you!"

That did the trick. The woman walked away from the pot and ambled to a nearby water jug, then poured it into two tin cups then sat them on the dining room table. With a shrug, Yuuki sat down. Asuna joined her on the opposite side. Both took a sip, then looked back expectantly to the woman. She was tending the soup again, not even looking at them now.

Asuna leaned back in her chair. "So... nice weather we've been having lately, huh?"

Stir.

"Do you get many adventurers in this town?"

Stir.

"The, um, water is really nice."

Stir.

"Have you lived here long?"

Stir.

Letting out a frustrated sigh, Asuna pointed at the simmering soup. "Look, can we have some of that soup? It smells amazing."

Still more stirring.

"This isn't getting us anywhere." Asuna drummed her fingers on the table, then looked to Yuuki. "Desperate times call for desperate measures. Use the puppy dog eyes."

"I doubt that would work on an AI." She watched the woman a moment. "Pretty weird they lured us here for cups of water that don't even give any stat buffs."

They continued to sip and the woman continued to stir, an awkward silence falling over the little house. It was broken not by the owner nor either Asuna or Yuuki, but by someone behind a nearby closed door. It began with one cough, then several in a row before degenerating into a fit of hacking and wheezing.

The woman finally reacted. Her shoulders slumped as she took in a halting breath, as though fighting back tears. The moment passed and she returned her attention to the pot, though her posture was still pained.

"That must be her child," Asuna whispered.

Yuuki barely heard her. That sound and the woman's reaction pulled her thoughts away from the home, away from Aincrad completely. Instead of the comfort of the living room she saw plain white walls, the aroma of food replaced by faint traces of bleach. She remembered the same expression on the thin woman who sat by her bedside, clutching a leatherbound book in one hand, a necklace in the other. She spoke, though not to Yuuki.

 _...Pray for us sinners, Now and at the hour of our death..._

"Yuuki?"

Asuna's voice pulled her back to the present. She'd been gripping the tin cup hard enough for an item durability warning to pop up. Asuna's hand stretched out across the table, as if reaching for her. She kept it there a moment before pulling it away. The look of concern remained in place, however.

"Are you okay?"

"Yeah."

Yuuki looked back to the NPC, as much to avoid Asuna's questioning gaze as anything else. Now, a golden question mark appeared over her head.

"Are you okay miss?"

The question mark over the woman's head vanished. "I fear not. You see, my daughter has taken ill and her condition has only grown worse over the past few days. She's been unable to leave her bed since yesterday."

Yuuki shuddered. _A little too close to home._

"I... I'm so sorry," was the only response she could manage.

"Is there anything that can be done?"

"The shopkeeper has given me medicine, but the fever still hasn't broken and her coughing has gotten worse. I... I fear there's little more I can do than ease her suffering. I wanted to make her favorite food, but she hasn't eaten a bit of it." She paused. "The town elder has heard of a cure, but it's too difficult to acquire."

"Where is it?"

"In the field west of town lies a forest. Within it are monsters known as Little Nepenthes. If you can find one with a flower atop its head and recover that flower, the blossom can be ground into a tonic to cure almost any illness. But the forest is overrun and it's far too dangerous for me to venture into." Then she looked up, a look of hope lighting up behind her eyes. "But perhaps you adventurers would have better luck! I couldn't offer you any money, but I do have a blade that's been passed down in our family for generations."

As soon as she finished speaking, a box popped up in Yuuki's display.

 _DO YOU ACCEPT THIS QUEST?_

Yuuki didn't even look at Asuna before pushing the accept button.

"We'll find it. I promise!"

* * *

"You could have asked me."

The question came as a relief to Yuuki, despite the annoyance woven into each word. From the moment she accepted the quest, Asuna lingered behind her, stomping her way through town. Yuuki's attempts at casual conversation were deflected with a glower or Asuna refusing to meet her gaze. Only now, as they reached the edge of the town, did she break her silence.

Yuuki turned around with hands clasped behind her back. _Keep steady. Smile._ The smile didn't feel right. Not in this situation. The toe of one boot dug into the ground. She tried to keep from frowning. She failed.

"This is something I need to do. You can wait in town for me if you like." Her head ducked forward, eyes darting away to keep from meeting Asuna's. "Or... you could go back to the Town of Beginnings now. You've got the healing items and you're way stronger than when you were in the labyrinth."

 _You don't need me._ She couldn't bring herself to utter those words, true though they might have been. She didn't want to push the fencer any further. The prospect of parting ways with Asuna caused an uncomfortable tightness in her chest, one that Yuuki didn't understand. Asuna was only the second person in Aincrad to know her name. She kept everyone at arm's length. _For their own good_ , she told herself. Her life, as long as it lasted, would be for the benefit of the other players. She couldn't waste time on anything else.

Then she stumbled across Asuna in the labyrinth and all her plans fell by the wayside.

 _We're all going to die anyway, so what does it matter?_ She'd asked herself a similar question so many times, but hearing it from Asuna jabbed dozens of tiny needles into her heart. The feeling only worsened the more time they spent together and the more sides she saw to the fencer. Intelligent. Talented. Interesting. Compassionate.

And pretty. Ridiculously pretty. If she wasn't careful, Asuna would eventually notice how her gaze lingered.

"I would have said yes?"

"H-huh?"

"If you'd asked me," Asuna said. "I would have agreed to go."

Yuuki was crestfallen. "D-Does this mean you're not going?"

Asuna took in a deep breath. "Of course I'm going with you! That woman said the creatures are dangerous. I can't let you fight them alone, not after everything you've done for me."

"Oh."

"Besides..." Asuna's voice finally softened. "This is important to you, isn't it? Not just because of the sword either. I understand that. It wouldn't feel right to let her daughter suffer, even if they are just programs."

"R-right."

"But next time? Ask me first. I know you didn't mean anything by it, but... let's just say I don't like other people choosing a path for me."

 _There's going to be a next time!_ "It won't happen again, I promise!" It was almost enough to make Yuuki jump for joy. As it was, her heart beat a little faster when Asuna fell in step beside her and the pair left the town side by side. They found a dirt path that led to the forest and officially began the journey.

"Um, Yuuki?" Asuna asked. "There was something I wanted to ask you."

"I think maybe I've taught you about as much as I can about the game. You'd probably need to talk to a beta tester to learn more!"

"It's not about that. It's something else you mentioned." Asuna worked her fingers through her long hair, pushing several strands behind her shoulder. "You told me you signed into Sword Art Online as a favor to your friend... I think you called her Merida?"

"Yeah." The bubbly tone left Yuuki's voice.

"So you weren't supposed to be here either, then."

"Guess you could say that."

"It was the same way with me and my brother." Asuna's voice grew quieter. "Do you worry about your friend?"

For an instant, Yuuki's eyes went wide. _She can't know, can she?_ "What do you mean?"

"If things turned out differently, they'd be here instead of us. I worry sometimes that my brother feels guilty."

"If your brother's anything like Merida, I bet he does. But I'm happy things turned out like they did." Yuuki took in a deep breath. "I'm carrying the burden for her. Being able to help a friend is really important to me."

"I guess so." Asuna finally managed a smile. "Merida is lucky to have someone like you in her life."

Yuuki's cheeks were burning now. "Awww, that's not true. Way I see it, I'm the lucky one. Merida's one of the most amazing people I've ever met. Her determination really inspired me."

"How long have you known her for?" Asuna stopped, blinked a few times. "Oh. Sorry. I shouldn't pry."

"Nah, it's okay. I like talking about my friends!" Before she could say another word, however, she thought back to Asuna's earlier question, about being worried. She took in a sharp breath. "Have you ever heard of a game called Serene Garden?"

"I mainly played Tetris, remember?"

"Right." _Thank goodness, she doesn't know what it is._ "That's where I first met Merida. She played in the Sword Art Online beta test and met the people she asked me to look for. That's when the delay hit."

"I remember Kouichirou talking about that. Well, he told my father about it at dinner one night while trying to pitch him on investing in Sword Art Online. He didn't go into detail, but there was some kind of really bad crash?"

Yuuki nodded. "Merida was really upset. The game missed its release date and got delayed for over a year. By the time the game was ready to launch..." She trailed off briefly. If she explained _why_ Merida needed her to venture into the game, she might start asking other questions. "...for a couple of different reasons, she wasn't able to play. But she didn't know anyone in her guild outside of the game, so that's why she asked me to log in for her."

"Oh, I see."

Yuuki was eager to change the subject now. "Um, you said your brother was trying to get your dad to invest in SAO? I didn't know there was a crowd funding campaign."

"It was something like that, yeah." Asuna looked ahead. "I think I see the forest just ahead. We should get ready."

The swordswoman beamed, patted the hilt of her blade. "You don't need to worry, Asuna. We're pretty strong now! Besides, they're called Little Nepenthes. How bad can they be?"

* * *

Screams echoed through the forest, heralding Asuna and Yuuki bolting out of the forest. A gigantic plant monster stalked them, skittering across the ground on exposed roots that served as legs. Two branch-like arms extended to either side, ending in leaves sharp as razor blades. The creature had no visible eyes, nose or ears, but an all too human mouth gaped open near the top of its body, a sickly green ooze dribbling out of one corner.

"Why would you call that little?!" Asuna cried as they fled.

* * *

"Nice to know what will be haunting my nightmares for the next week."

"Mine too," Yuuki managed between gasps. "The name doesn't paint the right picture at all!"

Horrific though the monster's design was, it had also became their salvation. The creators opted for fear over function, and the root-like legs it ran on couldn't match the stride of a human, particularly one fueled by mortal terror. Though it gave up the chase, the Nepenthe turned back and fixed them with an eyeless stare before sulking back behind the tree line.

"If we're going to get that flower, we need a better strategy," Asuna said.

"We know a little bit about how it attacks, we should start there."

Yuuki began to draw attack patterns and rough forest layouts in the dirt. Asuna joined her, scratching out a few of Yuuki's ideas and applying her own. The pair got so invested in the impromptu strategy session that they failed to notice the arrival of the other player until his slow clapping broke the silence.

"That was impressive, both of you. I've never seen anyone run quite that fast in the game before."

They spun around, both hands going to the hilts of their swords. The stranger stood a little taller than both of them, lean and dressed in light armor, a broadsword at his side and a shield strapped to one arm. He lifted both hands into the air in a gesture of peace, but Asuna still felt uneasy.

"I'm not here to cause any trouble. I'm guessing you two were at the house in Horunka?"

She checked the cursor above his head first. Green. Naeb told her any actions taken against a fellow player would turn the icon orange. Even though she saw green, it didn't allay her concerns. Something about the way he carried himself, maybe. Or perhaps it was his monotone voice or the expression on his face that looked like he smelled something putrid. She wanted to tell him to go away.

If Yuuki shared her suspicions of the stranger, she didn't tip her hand. Instead, she flashed that omnipresent smile and nodded. "Yep! You on the same quest?"

He shook his head, patted the scabbard at his side. "Already finished the Anneal Blade quest myself, but I've been hanging out in case other people need a hand. The sword's only good for one handed sword users like us."

He turned his attention to Asuna next. "I've heard there's some good random drops in the labyrinth, though. That'll help you get powered up too."

"Thanks," Asuna's tone didn't match the words.

"My pleasure." His voice remained even and emotionless, and even though he smiled it was broad and exaggerated, like he'd only just learned to do it. "If it helps, I could join you in the forest. The Nepenthes are easier to handle the more people you have with you."

"That would be-" Yuuki began, but was cut off as Asuna grabbed her arm and yanked her away.

"Could we have a moment to talk about it?"

"Of course. Take your time."

Asuna guided Yuuki away then leaned in close. "There's something weird about this guy, Yuuki. I don't think we can trust him."

Yuuki's cheeks flushed for some reason. "I-I bet he's just shy, people handle it in different ways. One of my friends in my last game started stammering when we met girls. Though that was kinda cute in a weird way. It still happened with Merida after a while-"

"Yuuki. Focus."

She bit her lower lip and nodded. "Well, I ran around and helped people. Maybe he's doing the same?"

"He doesn't seem the type."

"We should at least give him a chance."

Asuna sighed. "Fine. But I'm keeping an eye on him."

"Okay, but _I_ think you're overreacting."

They broke up their conference and walked back over. "We'd love to team up with you! I'm Yuuki, and this is Asuna."

Finally, an emotion on the young man's face. He almost looked surprised at the introduction. "Name's Kopel. It's a pleasure to work with you. It might take a little while for us to find one of the Nepenthes with a flower, but they're good for experience and col. Both of those will help if you join in the battle against the boss of the first floor's labyrinth. There's a meeting about that coming up soon, if you hadn't heard."

"We have," Yuuki replied. "I'd love to buy a little more gear before then."

"Then this is the side quest for you." Even his excited pronouncements were devoid of any emotion. "As you guys already found out, they won't pursue much past the tree line."

"Any tips on fighting them?" Yuuki asked.

"The mouths look scary but it's an easy attack to dodge. You've got to look out for the arms, especially those blades on the end. If you keep sticking and moving, they struggle to hit you. Pretty easy stuff." He paused, tilted his head to the side."But if either of you see one with what looks like a fruit on its head, let me know. They can be trouble."

"Thanks for all the intel!"

He nodded. "I'll take the point since I have experience with these things." He started to walk down the path then looked back at us. "So, were you two friends offline?"

Yuuki spoke up before Asuna could even think about an answer. "No, we just became friends today!"

 _We're not friends,_ Asuna wanted to respond. She'd spent the better part of two weeks avoiding people, avoiding getting hurt again. She intended to repay the debt she owed Yuuki, then she could part ways with her.

But she couldn't bring herself to say anything. Not in the face of that dazzling smile.

"Did you have any friends in game?" Asuna asked instead.

Kopel shrugged. "I was always a solo player before. But I've met up with some people here who want to form a guild of sorts, and they said I might have a place in it."

"That's great! It's always nice to make new friends, isn't it?"

"When your life is on the line, guilds are protection and power." He regarded them with that same emotionless expression. "You should probably think of joining one before it's too late. Never know when it'll make the difference between life and death."

As they pressed forward, Asuna replayed his words over and over again. Something about them made her even more nervous than before.

* * *

Something was wrong.

To Asuna's surprise, it didn't involve Kopel. Instead, the young man proved true to his word, offering them strategies to slay the first few Nepenthes they came across with ease. Even more surprising, after the first battle he started warming up to the pair. A lot of that credit Asuna put squarely at the feet of Yuuki. Her enthusiasm and kind nature were infectious, and even the morose Kopel couldn't resist. Maybe she was wrong about him after all.

Instead, the problem was the Little Nepenthes. Specifically, the lack of them. After those first few encounters they were nowhere to be seen. According to Kopel the frequency of spawning should have increased the further they ventured into the forest. Yet their experience went the opposite direction, with fewer and fewer of the beasts appearing. They hadn't seen a single one in the last ten minutes.

The mystery only deepened when Yuuki stumbled, quite literally, on a pile of col and items strewn across the forest floor. They were the sorts of things the Little Nepenthes had been dropping, left in neat piles at almost regular intervals.

"Someone else is hunting them?" Asuna asked.

"If that was the case, then we would've heard the fighting."

"Could someone have snuck up on them?"

"Since they don't have eyes, the hiding skill doesn't work on them. I learned that the hard way, they almost killed me on my first day in the game. Besides, there would have still been a fight... unless someone did a one shot kill on these guys. No player could be nearly that strong this early in the game. Unless..." He trailed off, a look of horror on his face.

"Unless maybe another monster attacked them?"

Asuna winced. "Please don't say that. I'd rather not meet the enemy that could kill those things in one hit."

They pressed forward and Kopel drew closer to them, constantly looking over his shoulder. Even the slightest rustling of leaves made him spin around, as though he expected a Little Nepenthe (or something worse) to come bursting out of the shadows. However, the woods remained quiet, filled with nothing other than more loot piles.

"It wasn't like this in the beta. It's never been like this before." Kopel stopped suddenly, his eyes growing wide. "He's here."

"He?"

The color drained from his face. "He _said_ he'd be watching. To make sure I stayed true to my word." He looked to Asuna and Yuuki, at first unable to say anything more. "We... we need to run. If he's here-"

The branches of the tree above them shook violently. A handful of leaves fluttered to the ground.

A Little Nepenthe burst from the opposite side of the forest with a bellowing roar, with what looked like small pieces of metal buried in its body. There, dangling from its head, was the red fruit that Kopel told them about.

"Look out!" Yuuki jumped to the side to avoid its charge. Asuna was a half step slower, and one of the bladed leaves on its arm-branches sliced her as it barreled past. Her HP bar only inched down and she drew her blade. The Nepenthe stood behind them, Kopel between them and the new enemy. The swordsman drew his Anneal Blade, his chest heaving with panic.

"Kopel! What do we need to do to avoid that trap?" Asuna asked.

He peered back at them, a sad look on his eyes.

"I'm sorry. He needs more of these swords. I don't have a choice." He turned back to the Nepenthe. "Only one of us gets to escape."

The realization dawned on Asuna too late. Kopel hadn't been scared of the Nepenthes. He'd been scared of whatever, _whoever_ put him up to setting the trap. Who that might have been, she'd never know. For Kopel charged his blade and attacked the fruit with a Horizontal sword art. It burst the fruit open, filling the air with a foul smelling pollen. As soon as he could move, he ran away from the battle, into the dense forests.

The enraged Nepenthe let out a horrifying scream. Then a second joined in, then another, another, another, until the previous calm of the forest was broken by a choir of the monsters. They started to pour into the clearing from all directions, filling the area with a small army of the monsters. Every avenue of escape was blocked as the Nepenthes surrounded them. Asuna started to count, but gave up when she reached two dozen.

"Hey Asuna?"

"Yeah?"

"Sorry I doubted you about Kopel. Next time, I'm gonna listen to you."

"It's a start," Asuna said. But as the monsters drew closer, she could only shake her head as she drew her rapier.

There wouldn't be a next time.


	5. Chapter 5

_"There's no easy way to tell you this."_

Yuuki tightened the grip on her sword. Breath came in ragged waves. Another sword skill. Another Nepenthe shattered. Like a hydra, two more took its place. Health bar half depleted. No healing items left. No hope.

 _"We won't abandon hope yet."_

Where did one of the monsters end and the next begin? Just a single roiling mass of plant matter now. Horrifying mouths snapped. Sharp leaves bit into their flesh. Glittery clouds of red sprayed out. It incited the Nepenthes like sharks in a feeding frenzy.

 _"Try to make the most of the time you have."_

"Sorry I dragged you into this, Asuna."

"Apologize... after we... get back... to the village." Asuna's reply came between gasps. She struggled to hold her fighting stance. Her rapier shook between attacks.

 _"God will never give you more than you can handle."_

Amid the sea of green Yuuki saw a flash of red. The flower. Of course. She almost laughed. Too busy. She hacked. She slashed. The Nepenthes counterattacked. Her health ticked downward. A trickle of sweat rolled down her brow. The air suddenly felt warmer.

 _"Maybe somewhere in that game, you'll find something to inspire you!"_

Between the strikes and parries, she thought of Asuna's smile. The first time she saw it, it washed over her like the first rays of sunshine after a thunderstorm. For a moment she forgot about Aincrad, even forgot what awaited her if she managed to log out. She longed to see it once more.

Asuna deserved a better fate than dying in this forest, than losing to this game. Her parents, her brother, the legions of friends doubtlessly awaiting her in the real world, they needed to see her again. The world needed her brilliant light. Her smile.

And Asuna hadn't signed into Sword Art Online with a death sentence already hanging over her.

 _"You make everyone else happy, sis. But one day you'll find something that brings you joy. And when you do? Promise me you'll never let it go, no matter what!"_

She'd made that promise to Aiko a few days before she logged into Sword Art Online.

A promise she'd have to break now.

 _I've always wondered why I was born,_ Yuuki thought. _If I can trade the time I have left to save someone... to save Asuna... maybe that's the answer I've been looking for._

Another leaf raked her side. Klaxons sounded. Her HP slipped into the red. They couldn't win.

They didn't need to. Not now.

She only needed to clear a path.

"Asuna! I... I'm gonna make an opening for you! Once I do-"

"No!"

"I'm not going to make it. Let me do this for you, please. You have a chance..."

But the alarms went silent. Her health bar shot back up into the green.

Asuna tossed a spent healing crystal aside.

"I won't leave you!" Fear and sadness clung to every word. "I... I can't lose you too!"

That response coursed through Yuuki like a shot of adrenaline. The whole forest turned red.

Defeating the Nepenthes still seemed impossible. But if Asuna refused to leave, then she'd do the impossible.

She became a blur, chaining together sword skills and regular strikes. She turned her attention to the next monster before the previous one even finished shattering. Everything slowed down. She sidestepped and pirouetted around their strikes, then lashed out with her blade and pierced their defenses. Asuna almost matched her speed, rapier darting out like the needle of a sewing machine. Sweat beaded on Yuuki's forehead. The cries of the Nepnethes pitched higher. They almost sounded panicked.

"We're gonna win! Then we're gonna beat this game together," she cried out between strikes. "I won't let anything happen to you!"

The swarm thinned, though a ring of the monsters still surrounded them. Their movements grew more frantic than before. The warmth Yuuki felt earlier turned to oppressive heat now. At the same time, she picked up on a strange acrid smell in the air. As she slashed through another Nepenthe, she saw another flash of color at the edge of the mob. Not another flower, however. Something bright, like-

It struck her all at once. The piles of items. The absence of the monster when they first arrived. The heat. The smell.

"Asuna! Something's setting them on fire!"

Within seconds it drew closer, flames licking the air and igniting the monsters at the rear of the mob. It washed over the Nepenthes like a fiery tide, slowly feasting on their HP bars. The rapid spread and slow demise of the Nepenthes meant a blazing ring formed around Yuuki and Asuna, creeping inward. And soon, it would engulf them as well.

"Attack one point!" Asuna cried out, spinning to fight side by side instead of back to back.

Yuuki slashed. The fire drew closer. Slash. Closer. Closer.

But as the flames arced onto the nearest Nepenthe, the suffocating heat dissipated. Cold air swirled around them, frigid enough to make Yuuki shiver despite the flames mere feet away. Between the flames and the strikes from the two swordswomen, the mob lasted only a few minutes longer. A cloud of polygons filled the air, and only Asuna and Yuuki remained in the forest.

At first, neither of them moved. Yuuki tried to catch her breath, to calm her nerves and steady her shaking hands. The reality crept over her, and she dropped her sword and spun to face Asuna, her arms spread wide.

"We did it!"

She only just stopped herself from throwing her arms around the fencer and pulling her into a tight hug. Then she remembered she tried to hold Asuna's hand back in the town, how she'd pulled away. Instead, Yuuki stood awkwardly for a few seconds, then took a step back and rubbed the back of her neck.

"We did, thanks to you."

And when Asuna spoke, she graced Yuuki with her wonderful smile. That alone almost made the whole battle worth it.

"You were pretty awesome too. And that fire helped a bunch too."

"Where did that come from anyway?"

"Maybe something to do with the event? Like a way to make sure you get the flower."

Yuuki blanched. "Wait, the flower! I hope it didn't get burned!"

She dashed away, looking over a pile of loot that might've made a dragon envious. She found one with a bright red flower lying atop it and scooped it into her hands.

"I found it! We can save the little girl in Horunka now. _And_ get some major upgrades!"

But Asuna didn't answer. Instead, she'd turned her attention to the top of one of the nearby trees, the branches there shaking.

"What is it?"

"I was probably just seeing things, but..." Asuna shook her head. "For a split second, I could've sworn I saw the outline of a person in that tree."

* * *

Asuna froze when she saw the twinkling red particles drifting to the bottom of the bowl. For a few horrible seconds, she was back in that field, surrounded by the razor-sharp leaves with no hope of escape. She took in a deep breath, ran her fingers along the countertop. The rough-hewn texture of the wood grounded her and brought her back into the moment. When the NPC added water to the mixture, the tension mercifully faded.

"Is it gonna be enough?" Yuuki fidgeted with her hands, attention locked on the tincture.

"According to the elder, a single flower will be more than enough."

Amid all the col and items they gathered from the forest, they'd found only one of the flowers. It strengthened their theory that the mysterious flames were part of the event. They picked up the remaining items then spent a few minutes to look for the mysterious figure she'd seen in the trees. At first, she wondered if it had been Kopel, watching over the trap he'd sprung. But they appeared to be the only two living things left in the forest, at least until the Nepenthes respawned. They made their way back to Horunka with relative ease and returned to the NPC's house. They found the girl's mother there, still stirring the udon with the alluring aroma that initially drew them in.

"Thank you again for taking such an extraordinary risk for the sake of a stranger. If not for you, I might have lost my dear Agatha."

 _Agatha._ She'd never mentioned the little girls' name before. But the NPC felt different from their earlier encounter. Gone was the mechanical speech and repeated lines from before. Their conversation flowed more naturally now. Her movements too felt more lifelike than before. Asuna found it easier to believe that the mother and her child were real people and residents of the world of Aincrad.

Still, they _were_ programs, lines of code that would repeat the same speech to every player that took on this quest. The writer and animators just did better work for this sequence. The second she and Yuuki walked out the door, the woman and her daughter would effectively cease to exist. Yet Yuuki seemed more nervous than at any point against the swarming mob, her voice quavering as she spoke.

"We couldn't stand by and do nothing."

But they _could_ have done nothing. Couldn't they? Yet she couldn't fight off a twinge of relief at the woman's story. Perhaps Yuuki's investment in the story rubbed off on her.

"I'll need to give her the medicine now," the NPC said, pouring the mixture into a small cup. "Would the two of you like to come with me? I'm certain she'd want to offer her thanks to the heroes who saved her life."

"Um..." Yuuki shrunk away from her. Her eyes darted to Asuna, back to the mother, then to the ground. "We, um, wouldn't want to be a bother."

"I don't mind if you don't, Yuuki." Asuna smiled. This mattered to Yuuki. The least she could do was let her see it through to the conclusion. "We went through so much to get that flower, we should make sure everything turns out well, right?"

"Y-Yeah. I guess you're right."

They followed behind the NPC into the bedroom. The little girl- Agatha lay atop the bed swaddled in blankets. She was young, no older than eight, with curly red hair and a face full of freckles. However, dark circles ringed her eyes and there was a pallor to her cheeks. Her head shook as she lifted it to look at them, attention immediately focused on the strangers.

"Mama? Who are they?"

"These brave warriors brought medicine from deep within the forest for you."

The girl stared in awe. Then she began to cough, a fit that made her entire body shake.

Something dug into Asuna's arm. She turned to see Yuuki close beside her, hand clenched around her forearm like a vice.

"There there," the NPC said and brushed the mop of curls away from her face, then gave her the mug. Agatha drank it dutifully, and immediately color returned to her face. A mist of sparkles appeared over her head as the dark circles around her eyes also faded.

"Thank goodness, it worked!"

"I'm feeling much better, mama!" She looked to Asuna and Yuuki. Even more than her mother, the little girl felt real. With the signs of illness gone, she spoke with a liveliness that felt real. Verisimilitude, Yuuki called it earlier. It sounded like a word Naeb would've used too.

"I'm glad it helped, Agatha."

"Thank you, sis!"

"We were happy to help. Though the truth is that most of the credit should go to-"

But when she turned to point at Yuuki, she had already left the room.

* * *

"Yuuki?"

She stood in the corner of the living room. Even when she heard her name, she didn't turn to look. Instead, she waved a hand in the air.

"I'll be fine. I just... need a minute."

The words came out choked, ragged. The pain in her voice hit Asuna like a punch to the gut, hurting worse than anything the Nepenthes did. The warrior had vanished, replaced by a girl every bit as scared and vulnerable as Asuna herself. She took a tentative step forward.

"Did you need to be alone?"

When she said nothing in reply, Asuna moved closer. Though Yuuki tried to hide it, she recognized the ways her shoulders trembled, the unevenness of her breaths. She'd been crying since she stepped out of that bedroom. Asuna started to speak but the words caught in her thought. Memories of her mother's reaction to Asuna's sympathy bubbled to the surface. Surely Yuuki wouldn't lash out at her in the same way, but the fear remained nonetheless. And she wasn't entirely sure how to offer her comfort. She'd never been close to any of her classmates, never connected with them or anyone else on a deeper personal level.

Not until Naeb.

She liked Yuuki in spite of herself. She enjoyed her company and envied her easy smile and unflappable attitude. Their time together lifted a little of the terrible burden she'd carried for the past few weeks. Yet every memory screamed at her to keep her distance. To make a friend in this game meant running the risk of losing them. Better to follow her mother's example. Remain stoic. Close herself off from everyone. Keep the pain at bay.

But then another memory burst forth: Yuuki staring down the Nepenthes, offering to cut a path through them so Asuna could escape.

She'd been willing to die for her.

She owed her this much, if not far more.

Her hand inched forward, fingers grazing the back of Yuuki's hands before closing around it with a gentle squeeze. Yuuki jolted in surprise, then finally turned around. Tears streamed down her face, but she still managed a weak smile.

"You don't have to tell me what's wrong," Asuna said. "We haven't known each other long, so I don't expect you to trust me."

She took in a deep breath. "But you don't have to face it alone, either. I'm here for you, even if you just need someone by your side or a shoulder to cry on."

"I... I can't ask you for that."

"You didn't have to," Asuna replied. "I offered it first."

Yuuki's lower lip started to tremble. "I... I'm really glad I found you in that labyrinth."

"I'm glad you did too."

Neither of them said anything for a moment, and Asuna rubbed the back of Yuuki's hand with her thumb. Like everything else in Aincrad, her hand wasn't really there. Everything, from the weight of her sword to the taste of the bread, was code. Ones and zeroes in a computer mainframe. But the warmth of Yuuki's hand in hers belied that, an anchor to reality in a world of illusions. She drew closer and fought the urge to wrap her free hand around her and pull her into a gentle hug. That felt too familiar, too presumptuous.

After a moment, Yuuki wiped away her tears and spoke.

"I... was sick a lot when I was her age. Really sick." She took in a halting breath before continuing. "My parents took me around to specialists all over the country, having my blood drawn and sitting in big scary machines. I spent days at a time in a hospital bed. Seeing Agatha... it brought back some of those memories.

"I'm sorry, that sounds terrible," Asuna replied. "Did any of it help?"

"They... eventually found out what was wrong."

"Did they-"

"I hope that Agatha didn't say something to offend either of you."

The NPC stood behind them, a concerned look on her face. Strange. She'd ignored them before, at least until they clued in on the right thing to ask. But now she reacted specifically to what just happened.

"N-no! Of course not," Yuuki replied. "I was just... surprised. That's all."

The woman nodded, then strode across the room to a cabinet on the far side. Had it always been there? Asuna could've sworn she saw a hutch in that same spot when they visited earlier. "I can't thank the two of you enough for all you've done. It's just been the two of us since my husband died a few years ago."

"I'm sorry to hear that," Asuna replied. To her surprise, she meant it too.

"He wasn't an adventurer, certainly nothing on the level the two of you, but he protected this village from invaders from the higher realms like his father and grandfather before him." She opened the cabinet. Within, a sword rested in an ornate stand. Not the black longsword that Kopel carried, the one he said he won for completing this quest. This blade was shorter, with a dark purple sheen to the metal and an elaborately engraved hilt. She took the sword from its stand and slid it into an equally impressive scabbard then walked back over. "He lost his life fighting alongside the Old Folk. One of them returned to tell me how valiantly he fought, and to return his sword to me."

She stopped in front of Yuuki and held the blade out to her.

"And now, I'd like you to have it."

"Me?" Yuuki shook her head. "I couldn't possibly-"

"Please. Agatha will never be able to wield such a sword, and it would do more good in your hands than sitting as an unused memento. I believe my husband would want you to have it, to protect all of Aincrad the way you protected my Agatha."

Yuuki bowed and finally accepted the sword. "In that case, I would be honored."

From where she stood next to Yuuki, Asuna read the system message as she took the blade. _Skofnung._ She'd never seen a name quite like it in Aincrad, unable to even guess the original language.

"I will forever be in your debt, brave adventurers. If there is anything else you need when you visit our humble village, you need only ask."

"Thank you very much, Miss."

"Please," the woman said and bowed to them both. "My name is Hazel."

"Thank you, Hazel." Yuuki looked back to Asuna. "We should probably be returning to the Town of Beginnings. Thank you for everything!"

But as Yuuki walked past, Asuna caught her shoulder.

"Hold on, Yuuki. Um, Mi- Hazel?" Asuna bit her lower lip. "There's one other thing I'd like to ask before we go."

"Yes?"

Asuna's eyes darted to the kitchen, to the stove and its still simmering pot. "Could... we have something to eat before we leave?"

Hazel looked confused for a moment. Then, to Asuna's surprise, she laughed.

"Of course! Agatha and I would be honored if you stayed for dinner."

* * *

"I'm _still_ thinking about that udon."

"You too?" Yuuki giggled. "I wonder if Hazel would make it for us again when we go back to Horunka."

"You think she'll remember us?"

"Why wouldn't she?"

"Well, I mean. She's just a part of the game." Asuna paused and rubbed the back of her neck. "Right?"

Yuuki pondered the question a moment. Due to her illness, most of her experience with the outside world came through games and movies. Before Serene Garden, the closest thing she had to friends were the characters she met in those stories so investment in these worlds came easily. Agatha's condition made it even easier to relate. But during that second visit to the home, she never felt like they were talking to NPCs.

"She changed a lot when we got back, didn't she?" Yuuki frowned. "It's kinda weird."

"Not just kind of."

"And this isn't the same sword Kopel had, I'm sure of that."

"Now _there's_ a name I'd rather not think about again if I can help it. You think he managed to get away?"

"I hope so, even if he led us into that trap. Nobody deserves to die in this game." Yuuki paused, frowned. "Even if they're a dick."

Though she fought valiantly against it, that assessment made Asuna dissolve into a fit of giggles.

They'd run into a few random encounters on their way back to the Town of Beginnings, but a combination of their advanced levels, upgraded gear from the spoils of the Nepenthe battle and Yuuki's new sword made them minor inconveniences. Small talk marked most of the trip, which inevitably turned back to the udon. It would be hard to return to the bread rations after that meal.

It also let Yuuki avoid thinking about the one question that haunted her ever since the battle in the forest. Asuna had said something in the heat of the moment, something that let her start to piece together a little more of her story. When their conversation hit another lull, she steeled herself to finally broach the subject. She needed to know.

"H-Hey Asuna? Can I ask you something?" She shrank away, ducking her head. "You... don't have to answer if you don't want, but..."

"After everything you've done for me? The least I can do is answer a few questions."

She nodded and gulped down a deep breath. Her heart pounded as she searched for the right way to phrase it.

"When we were surrounded by the Nepenthes, you... you said you didn't want to lose me _too_." She stopped walking and turned to face Asuna. "What... what happened?"

As the silence stretched out, Yuuki debated breaking it by reminding Asuna she didn't need to answer. But the fencer finally did, her voice somber.

"When I first logged in, I... met someone. Totally by chance, just like we met. He taught me the basics of the game, and we got along well. Really well. We even talked about forming a guild. Maybe even meeting in real life someday. It sounds silly, we only knew each other a few hours. But..."

She trailed off, breath hitching as she fought off a sob. "Then he... died. Not in a battle. No warning at all. He just... fell to the ground and shattered. I... I think his family pulled off the NerveGear before they heard Kayaba's announcement."

Yuuki stared, the horror washing over her. Her friend never even knew what happened. Would other people make that decision the longer they remained in the game? Would someone make that decision for _her_ if Aiko- No. Better not to think about that.

"I'm so sorry, Asuna."

"That's why I made the decision to never get close to anyone else in the game. It's why I went into that dungeon. I didn't have any hope left." She met Yuuki's gaze, then graced her with another dazzling smile. "Then you saved me. A couple of times, actually. And that helped me make a new decision. I'm going to keep fighting. For Naeb, and for everyone else we've lost in this game. And I'm going to do my best to make sure we don't lose anyone else."

She paused and tilted her head to the side. "Besides, I think _someone_ said we were going to beat the game together. I'd hate to let her down."

That caused another blush. Wonderful. Why did Asuna have to be so damned charming?

"I... I'm sure you're gonna inspire a lot of people, Asuna!"

"It's going to take me a while to get used to that idea. My brother was always the one with the bright future ahead of him, the one destined for big things. Me? I always worried my parents saw me as a disappointment."

"Well, they shouldn't. You're smart, really talented in the game and a good person." Yuuki beamed. "I think you're pretty!"

Wait. That didn't come out right, did it? She'd meant to end that sentence with another word but it up and walked away on her.

Oh no. No no no. She. Said. That. Out. Loud. Forget warm, her face felt like the surface of the sun. Probably glowing bright red now too.

"I mean you're pretty awesome. Well, um, you _are_ pretty. That's obvious. But pretty awesome too. That's what I meant. Even though both of those things are true." She sighed, arms falling to her sides. "I'm just... gonna stop now."

Asuna giggled. "I appreciate the compliment, Yuuki. Both of them."

Somehow she survived the embarrassment and resumed the journey.

"Yuuki?" Asuna moved in closer to her. "I meant what I said back in Hazel's house. You don't have to do this alone. After you helped me, I'd be honored to help you too. Whatever you need."

"I know I need to take care of myself, but I don't want to give up what I've been doing, y'know? The people in this game need someone like Doraku."

"Maybe so." As they walked, Asuna opened her menu. Not wanting to read over her shoulder, Yuuki turned away. But an instant later an alert flashed in front of her eyes. She popped open her own menu.

ASUNA HAS SENT YOU A FRIEND REQUEST. ACCEPT?

"But some people need Yuuki too."

She clicked yes instantly.

"As long as you remember people need Asuna too," she said. "So you shouldn't do anything stupid again."

"Fair enough," Asuna replied. "But remember! Now that we're friends, I can keep an eye on you and make sure _you're_ not doing anything crazy either."

"H-Hey! That's cheating!"

The fencer smirked. "Yep."

She left it at that but managed to surprise Yuuki again by reaching out and taking hold of her hand once again. Though they kept the pace of a leisurely stroll, Yuuki's heart thumped like she'd just run wind sprints. Feeling weak in the knees always felt like an exaggerated cliche, but she wouldn't have been shocked if they gave out on her completely.

They strode into the Town of Beginnings without incident, however, and Yuuki looked fondly at her (yes she could finally say it) friend. By her own admission, Asuna walked out of this city a little over a day ago without hope, believing she'd never return. Yet return she did, with newfound purpose and a belief they could escape this game of death.

 _"It sounds silly, we only knew each other a few hours."_

Silly? Hardly. A few hours gave more than enough time to forge a close bond. To open up and share your secrets. To trust them with your life. To gain a new friend.

And perhaps, even if she wouldn't admit it to herself, enough time to ignite the spark of something more.

* * *

Asuna awoke the next morning with a handful of messages waiting. Another unwanted display of concern. A few notes from Argo, including the news that a new town had been discovered not far from the labyrinth and an unsubstantiated rumor about a celebrity in the game. But there at the end was another. That one brought a smile to her face.

 _Keeping an eye on a group of newbies, should be back in town by noon. Want to get lunch?_

She typed out a quick response, with the hope that Yuuki had more of the cream. That might soften the blow of returning to bread.

That done, she finally started to sift through the massive collection of drops from the Nepenthes battle. Duplicate gear she could sell or donate to other players, raw materials for the different in-game crafting skills, a few healing items, and other buff-providing consumables. She'd scrolled through the entire list when she found one item with an icon she'd never seen before. She leaned in closer and clicked on the item description.

 _MESSAGE CRYSTAL._

She removed it from her inventory and sat it on the nearby desk. The crystal, a small teal diamond, sat idle. It remained that way until Asuna touched it. The contact made it spin, a bright light emanating from within. After a few seconds, a voice drifted out of it.

"You found the message crystal. Good. You're not as hopeless as I thought." A male voice. Gruff yet young, like a teenager trying to sound tough. "We've never met, and if you're lucky, things will stay that way. I'm going to tell you only what you need to know. My associates and I are responsible for the fire that consumed those monsters in the forest, and the reason the two of you didn't burn alive as well. You're welcome."

Light shot out about the crystal and formed a flickering image. An insignia of some kind, the skull of a wolf with bat-like wings where the ears would have been.

"Second, the two of you wandered into a trap that's claimed the lives of more than a few of your fellow players. So for future reference, you ever see anyone with this symbol on their hands? Run. I don't care how talented you two are, these psychopaths are out of your league. They call themselves the Charnel Hounds, and if you're very lucky, you're not on their radar now."

Before the message crystal ended, the stranger offered one last warning.

"Akihiko Kayaba created this world. But something, or some _one_ else, is controlling Sword Art Online now. And whoever they are, they're not playing by his rules."


	6. Chapter 6

Shattered brick and rotted timbers splayed around the foot of the hill atop which the corpse of the fortress stood. Only a few rough stone structures remained, though each bore the scars of some long-forgotten war. The four turrets stood out from a distance, jagged edges stretching to the sky like skeletal fingers. Villagers said the site had been a garrison in the time before the Great Separation that created Aincrad. In game terms, it was useless; It held no hidden secrets, nor even a single treasure chest. It provided a note of authenticity for the world, and a place players could use as a rest area or staging ground for larger campaigns.

Or, Kopel thought as he mounted the steps, an ideal spot for clandestine meetings.

He felt the gathering first, a low staccato rhythm that knocked dirt and dust from the old stone structure and rattled in his rib cage. The sounds grew clearer as he neared the top, the beat coalescing into the clatter of sword against shield or booted feet against the ground. It came from a group of players in a tight circle, perhaps two dozen in all. Most wore simple gear, nondescript masks of red, green or black obscuring their faces. A handful wore more stylized equipment: A skull with ruby red eyes, a burlap sack with ragged eye holes, a chainmail coif over a stylized drama mask.

Every swordsman in the group wore the Anneal Blades he'd been collecting for weeks.

In the middle of the circle stood four other players, weapons drawn, trembling in their hands. They wore high-end gear, distinctive blue and green tunics over it all. They must've wanted to form a guild once that quest opened up on the next few floors, Kopel thought.

He felt a pang of sympathy. They'd never get the chance.  
The pounding stopped and everyone in the circle dropped to one knee and clasped their right hands across their heart. Kopel watched the spectacle until a hand tugged him to the ground.

"If you don't want to join them, show proper respect." The command came from a girl, young from the sound of her voice. She wore a face mask with horizontal bars stylized to look like thorns. Her hand rested on the hilt of her blade, head cocked to one side as if daring Kopel to challenge her. Instead, he nodded, then copied the pose of the other players around him.

The circle parted and a single figure moved into the middle. He wore dark gold armor, his mask a red and black Japanese lion mask. He carried no sword or ax, nor was there a shield braced on one arm. Instead, two sets of long claws stretched from either hand.

He'd met the man before, without such a ceremony. Kopel tried to lure him into the same trap he'd drawn Asuna and Yuuki into. But the masked warrior had been the first. Kopel wanted to let the Nepenthes kill him, then he'd claim the item then the Anneal Blade at no risk to himself. But the other player saw right through it. He cornered Kopel after dispatching the Nepenthes with terrifying ease, those claws at the ready. Kopel thought for certain he'd die, but he was spared. Instead, he found himself recruited to farm Anneal Blades, repeating the same technique over and over again.

Well, recruited wasn't quite the right way to put it. Draven never gave him an option.

He lifted a hand and the player in the chain mail coif rose, pulling something from his inventory. It took a moment to register the item as a silver serving tray. Another tap and a bottle materialized atop it, along with four glasses. Draven picked up the bottle and tapped each glass in turn, which filled with red liquid. As the bottle shattered, he offered them to the stunned players.

"I assure you, they are not poisoned." He spoke with a rich, dignified tenor, a voice like a trumpet muffled in silk. A voice you'd gladly listen to read the phone book or the day's weather forecast. At least until you heard the strange reverberation in the tone, the hint of a tinny echo. Then it sounded chilling. "You've all been living with this first-floor rubbish for months now. You deserve a taste of the finer things this game has to offer."

The quartet only stared at one another. Finally, a tall broadsword wielding warrior stepped forward and took the glass. Stared into it. Took a sip. The other watched on, expecting him to fall. After a few tense moments of nothing, the others followed his example.

"Now, I don't know if any of you have experience with wine in the real world. I will tell you that this lacks the subtle flavor of the real stuff. No complexity or character at all. Forget about being able to detect even the rumor of a bouquet, and the aftertaste is about as smooth as a gravel road. But I beg your indulgence, as this comes from the sixth floor so it might be Aincrad's answer to Two Buck Chuck."

"I'm sorry," the tall warrior said, lowering the glass. "Did you say the sixth floor?"

Draven clicked his tongue under the mask. "Ah, yes. But I'm afraid I'm not a fan of answering questions, and your leverage is highly dubious. I shall ask my questions and, depending upon the answers I receive, I will decide whether or not I need to answer yours."

The four players looked at one another, then back to the lion masked fighter, who started pacing around them.

"I believe your group is called the Dragon Lancer Order. Is that correct?" He paused to see a nod from the tall man. "Not an official guild yet, of course. That option's not open to you. But you've started down that path, and you've already garnered quite a reputation, haven't you? Laying claim to entire hunting grounds so you can catch respawns and boost your levels. Why, a little rat's spreading a story that the lot of you abandoned a pair of players in need to keep farming loot."

He paused, his tone growing more severe. "And those players died."

"We can explain—"

"I'm certain you can." Draven glanced over his shoulder, to the group encircling him. "But I believe you'll find most of my followers are unrepentant player killers who would have pushed the blade into their chests rather than leave them behind. Nasty lot, but they have their uses, and they were rather lost when I defeated their leader. But that's another matter entirely. Point is, you'll not win one of them over with a morality argument."

He took a step back, sat the tray on the ground then spun on his heel to face them again. "But never let it be said that I am without honor. But before we begin… are any of you familiar with a monster known as a charnel hound?"

None of the Lancers spoke.

"I'll take your silence as a no, then. Charnel Hounds are monsters from fantasy worlds just like Aincrad. They might well exist on some of the higher floors. They're massive beasts, in the vague shape of a hound as you might well suspect. However, when you get closer, you discover it's not an animal at all. It's a ghoul, comprised of the flesh and bone of the enemies it has vanquished. Lose to it, and you are absorbed into the collective. Ghastly. Disgusting even, in the hands of an author with the right sort of wicked imagination."

He gestured slowly around the circle, to the players gathered around him. "We are all Charnel Hounds here. With each life we take, we grow stronger. Survival of the fittest taken to its logical conclusion. Perfectly designed to defeat Kayaba's little game. And so, I make this offer."

He spread his arms wide. "Fight me."

"W-what?" one of the other Lancers stammered.

"Just as I said. The four of you will fight me and me alone. None of my followers will interfere. If you win, you've earned your freedom. Even command of the Charnel Hounds, if you so desire."

"And if we lose?" the leader asked.

It must've been Kopel's imagination, but the lion mask seemed to grin. "Then your strength becomes mine."

He'd barely finished uttering the words when the tall lancer charged forward and swung his weapon. It smashed against Draven's armor, the warrior not even lifting his claws to block the strike. Emboldened by their leader's aggression, the other three charged in. The four surrounded Draven and pummeling him mercilessly. Yet he never blocked. Never staggered. Not even the sword skills the Lancers activated had any effect.

It went on a few minutes before Draven began to laugh.

"We… we didn't even damage him!" the leader said.

"Not accurate," Draven said, wagging a finger in the air. "You are damaging me. However, as a level eighty fighter, I'm able to recover more HP than you can inflict with your strikes. I'd go into the technical details of which broken game mechanics I'm exploiting, but why waste my time?"

He threw his arms out to the sides and the claws grew even longer.

"It doesn't matter for the four of you anymore."

Kopel turned away, but the screams told the story. And the entire time, most of the Charnel Hounds cheered. Only the girl next to him remained quiet. He wanted to hear something else. Anything else. Anything but the deaths of the four players.

Silence fell, then he heard something far more terrifying than those cries after all.

"Kopel. A joy to see you again."

He looked up, peering into the eyes sockets of the mask. Draven's eyes were hidden behind it.

"I have recruited two new Hounds and they require new weapons before they embark on the trial. I believe you messaged me earlier, saying you'd found two more marks. You have my gratitude for gathering those Anneal Blades."

Kopel swallowed hard, his whole body shaking before he found his voice. "There was a complication—"

He never even saw Draven's arm move. He felt the hand on his throat first, then the realization his feet were now dangling in the air. The point of one claw bit into his cheek, little flecks of damage wafting into the air.

"I do not like complications." His tone remained measured, even as he lifted his other hand into the air. "The Dragons Lancers created one complication by stumbling across our operation. I would be most upset if you made me deal with another."

"I… I can still get the swords."

"Meaning you don't have them." Draven sighed. "Your targets escaped, didn't they?"

"I didn't find any gear in the forest, so I think so. But I can find another pair of marks."

Draven squeezed hard enough that Kopel's HP bar dipped.

"Do you think the escapees will remain silent? By now, they've likely given every detail of your scam to The Rat. The only person who will get killed if you try it again will be you."

"Then I'll just… find those two…"

"Even if you could root them out among the remaining eight thousand, do you really think they won't be ready for you?" His hand drew back, the claws extending. "Such a pity, Kopel. I had high hopes for you."

"Please, just let me find Asuna and Yuuki and I—"

Something struck Kopel hard. It took a moment to realize it wasn't the claw, but the ground.

"What did you say their names were?"

"Asuna and Yuuki."

"This Asuna. Was she a girl with long chestnut brown hair kept in a braid?"

Kopel nodded.

"Fortune smiles on you after all. You've given me a gift greater than a hundred Anneal Blades."

Draven lifted a hand into the air and the Charnel Hound dropped to one knee again, heads bowed. Kopel copied them this time without prompting.

"Our alliance with the True Elves has come with one condition," Draven said. "We are to find and protect the player known as Asuna. Ideally, I would like to count her among our number. I assume she will be at the upcoming meeting regarding the raid on the first-floor labyrinth. I require two of you to find her and… persuade her to join our ranks."

He paced around the circle a moment before putting his hand on the shoulder of the player in the skull helmet, then the one with the burlap sack mask.

"Balin, Agravain. I will request aid from the High Lord of the True Elves, but I will be counting on the two of you to recover Asuna. This is a condition of our continued advantage over the other players, so I trust you will not fail me."

The skull masked player looked up. "What about the other one?"

Draven folded his arms over his chest. "The High Lord never mentioned anyone named Yuuki. Do what you need to."

He snickered. "Awesome."

"But show restraint, both of you. We cannot let the other players know of the Charnel Hounds. Not yet."

"As you wish."

"As for you," Draven said and turned back to Kopel. He opened his menu, then dropped an item on the ground in front of him. "Kopel is dead. Now you are Galehaut, green knight of the Charnel Hounds."

"O-Of course."

Draven gestured again, and the player in the drama mask came to Draven's side.

"Malagant will accompany you and the other new recruits to the tenth floor. Once you pass the trial, you will rejoin us."

"And… if I don't pass the trial?"

Draven's mask gleamed in the torchlight. "Then your strength becomes ours, of course."

* * *

 _A/N - Sorry for the lack of Asuna and Yuuki in this chapter. It's been a really long couple of months and I decided that, rather than sit on the new chapter and keep tinkering with it, I'd go ahead and get it posted. (a healthy dose of paranoia after a computer class corrupted a file and I lost a big chunk of this weekend's work). I hope the villain comes across as I'd hoped. And good news, I've actually got Chapter Seven in rough draft form and I'm hopeful it'll be posted by this upcoming weekend._


	7. Chapter 7

Eventually, her luck would run out.

Asuna pressed against the wall, a breath catching in her throat as she peered around the corner. The small room appeared empty, but she couldn't underestimate her wily opponent. She leaned out a little further, her whole body tensed in case she needed to retreat and rethink her strategy. Somehow she'd avoided detection to this point, but a single mistake and her enemy would pounce. She turned her attention to the exit, ready to make a mad dash to escape.

Waiting.

Waiting.

Now!

She bolted from behind the door at a brisk pace, just short of a sprint. Closer. Soon she'd be clear.

"Good morning, ma'am!"

Somehow, Asuna didn't jump into the air. Slowly, she turned to see the smiling face of the NPC innkeeper.

"Will you be checking out today?" she asked.

"No, I should be back this evening."

"Very well, miss. Have a magical day!"

Asuna bowed out of habit then scurried out the door, pulling up the hood of her cloak as she blended into the morning crowd that pulsed through the streets of a new town.

Nestled in the valley between two mountains, the population of the frontier city of Tolbana had been exclusively NPCs until a week ago when Fuurinkazan discovered it. At first, its existence paled in comparison to the news of the labyrinth that led to the second floor. Eventually, reports started to filter back to the Town of Beginnings, and what started as a trickle of newcomers built to a deluge, flooding the small town with players.

For some, shops filled with new gear proved alluring. The presence of an NPC blacksmith and the ability to buy vendor carpets drew others. But neither those discoveries nor the oft-delayed meeting to discuss a raid on the labyrinth, accounted for the mass exodus. No, something far more compelling drew the weary player base to Tolbana like the moth to flame.

Food.

If only Asuna knew what she missed when she twice avoided setting foot in the town! Players who'd gotten by on a steady diet of bread and water struck like a hangry tsunami, determined to eat their weight in tempura and curry rice. The city boasted several restaurants, a handful of smaller cafes and (to the delight of many players) even a full-fledged bar. Indeed, Asuna's first full night in Tolbana included navigating a courtyard strewn with players who appreciated the new town a little _too_ much.

Asuna welcomed the variety as well, though she'd fallen in love with a small cafe across from the largest of Tolbana's innumerable fountains. She'd been there for breakfast every morning without fail since she discovered it. In addition to the lovely outdoor seating and a tasty array of pastries, the cafe offered a chrysanthemum tea that rivaled her favorite spot in Tokyo.

It was her second favorite thing about mornings there.

She hurried along the pathway, sparing a glance over her shoulder to make sure she hadn't been followed. A few familiar faces stood out along the way, like the pair of minstrels serenading the players to boost morale. Several newly minted shopkeepers lined the main thoroughfare, all making sales pitches. A girl with short brown hair and a face full of freckles waved and tried yet again to get her attention, but Asuna hurried past without a word. Already running late thanks to her excessive caution, she couldn't get distracted on the way. Before long, she rounded the corner and saw the Eighty-Eight Teas Cafe ahead of her.

Yuuki already sat at their regular table.

She looked the same as the first day they met, save for a dark purple cloak that matched the light blue one Asuna wore. Two cups of tea sat on the table, along with a pair of impressive cherry danishes that caught their eye the day before. Asuna slid into her chair and smiled.

"Sorry I'm late. It's because of... you know."

"Yeah, it's okay." But Yuuki's voice lacked its usual enthusiasm. Nor did she smile back, but instead regarded Asuna with a neutral expression. For Yuuki, that was as good as a frown. Maybe she hadn't slept well the night before? After all, a major decision confronted them today.

They'd left for Tolbana together the morning after they returned to the Town of Beginnings and they found the cafe shortly after arrival. It became part of their morning routine, no matter what the two of them had planned for the day ahead. Though they'd only ventured outside of town together twice to continue leveling up, they always traded bits of intel like new hunting grounds or food items with unique stat buffs.

Then, when they exhausted game topics, they spoke of their lives outside of Aincrad.

Often, they spoke of hobbies and favorite places to visit in Tokyo. They both shared a fondness for the Miraikan and longed to visit Okunoshima one day. Yuuki devoured the pop culture that Asuna often missed out on. While Yuuki marveled as Asuna's natural talent as a newbie, Asuna was awed by the depth and breadth of her game experience. The talks served to strengthen their burgeoning friendship.

Though they'd never set down any ground rules, three subjects remained absent from these talks. First, they never spoke about their families or more personal matters. After she played the strange message crystal for Yuuki and they agreed to watch out for the strange symbol, they likewise never spoke about the incident with the nepenthes. And finally, they never spoke about the meeting for the raid on the labyrinth.

Until today.

It would definitely happen today. Probably. Maybe. It had been delayed three times already courtesy of in-fighting between the nascent factions among the players. One group complained about the time, another the venue. One day a freak rainstorm struck Tolbana and someone took it as a bad omen. And while Asuna and Yuuki agreed to anonymously donate their map data to the raid party, they had avoided discussing whether or not they'd attend. A late-night message from Yuuki meant they could no longer dance around it.

After a little bit of tea and sampling the danish (it was even more delicious than it looked), Yuuki broke the silence.

"I, um, heard there's a white dire wolf that started appearing between here and Horunka, but it keeps running away from people. Maybe it's something worth looking into later?"

Asuna nodded. "Maybe we could check it out later if you have the time." Yuuki still ventured out as Doraku from time to time, after all. Perhaps something happened during one of those trips. That might explain her dour mood.

As if she could hear Asuna's thoughts, Yuuki sighed as her shoulders slumped to the side. "I'm sorry, Asuna."

The fencer's heart lurched as fear coursed through. Sorry about what? Was Yuuki putting an end to their morning meetings? Had she said something foolish and hurt Yuuki's feelings? In the span of a few seconds, her mind worked through every nightmare scenario, all of them culminating with losing their friendship.

"What do you mean?" she said, voice failing her.

The answer didn't come from Yuuki, but from a third cup that slammed onto the table with a metallic thud.

"Aa-chan, if you keep sneaking around town people will assume you're up to something untoward." A wry smile crossed the diminutive girl's face, wrinkling the whiskers painted on her cheeks. "And if you keep avoiding friends, you might hurt their feelings."

"Argo."

Just like that, a week of hard work drifted into the ether.

"I had no choice," Yuuki said in a resigned tone. "She arrived just before you did."

"Unlike you, Yu-Yu is too sweet to leave Big-" She stopped, met Yuuki's gaze, read something behind it that Asuna missed. "-to leave me out of the loop."

"Do you ever give anyone a choice?" Asuna stared down into her tea. "You usually have dirt you can use on them."

"Dirt is such an ugly name for a commodity as important as information, Aa-chan." She rubbed her chin, eyes flitting between them like a hungry cat in front of two injured canaries. "Speaking of, these clandestine meetings, partying up together... it's the sort of thing someone might pay good money to know about."

"Please don't."

Argo shrugged, leaned back in her chair. "People ask. If I know and they pay, I'll tell them. But for the two of you? I'll make the cost sky high." The Rat took a drink, peering at Asuna over the top of her tankard. "Of course, only one person's curious about you, and they don't know a thing about Yu-Yu. For that matter, I'm one of the few who does."

"I didn't realize you two knew each other."

"Argo and Merida knew each other from, um. Before."

"I see." Then Asuna sat up. "Wait, does that mean she knows about..." Asuna bit her lower lip, then mimed pulling a mask over her face.

Yuuki nodded, and Asuna fixed a glare on Argo.

"You said she wasn't real."

"I believe I told you I didn't deal in fairy tales. I never told you she wasn't real." Asuna couldn't help but be reminded of a meme with a certain frog as she sipped.

"You never get to guilt trip me about not telling you something ever again."

"Are you going to the meeting, Argo?" Yuuki asked, desperate to change the subject.

"Afraid not, though I'll have eyes and ears there." Her voice lowered. "One of the players in this raid is spreading a lot of negativity about beta testers, and it's awful hard for me to deny I was one of them."

"Fair enough," Asuna said.

Then the Rat leaned forward, that deadly smile blossoming on her face again. "And what about you two?"

"That's what we're here to talk about," Asuna replied. "I haven't made up my mind."

"Because Diavel organized the meeting?"

"...maybe."

"I'm still curious about that." Argo rubbed her chin. "I've never sensed anything from him but genuine concern when he asks about you, yet you never return his messages and have gone out of your way to avoid him. Neither one of you has been forthcoming about why."

"There's history there." Asuna ducked her head. "Painful history."

"Oh." Another sip from the tankard. "A romance gone bad, eh?"

Yuuki, who had remained even-keeled to that point, promptly spat out her tea.

"Wh-what? Of course not! It's nothing like that!" The fencer struggled to regain her composure while Yuuki tried to pretend nothing had happened. "We were in a party once. Before the announcement."

Argo's expression softened. "Oh, I see. I won't pry, then. And what about Yu-Yu?"

Yuuki's hands were folded in her lap, a serene expression on her face as she continued to pretend the earlier outburst never happened. "I don't think I should go."

"But you're the best fighter in Aincrad. By far!" It was the most animated Asuna had ever seen Argo. "The raid has a far better chance of success if you join in."

"I don't think _I_ should go," Yuuki said and closed her eyes. "But maybe someone else should."

They both knew what she meant.

"A public appearance changes everything. You know that, right?" Argo's brow furrowed. "Most people assume Doraku is a beta tester. You could be putting a target on your back. And the moment someone forms a party with you, they'll know your real name."

"Then I don't join a party," Yuuki tried to play off the way her eyes flicked briefly to Asuna. "Besides, I haven't found out anything about Merida's guild. I need to find her friends and make sure they're okay!"

"That's a good plan, Yu-Yu." Argo's expression remained stoic, however. No doubt she'd considered the same possibility that Asuna had: Yuuki hadn't found them because their names were crossed out on the Monument of Swordsmen. Neither of them spoke those doubts aloud, however. The rarest resource in Aincrad was hope and neither of them wanted to steal that from her.

A moment later, Argo drained the last of her drink and tossed the mug over her shoulder as it disintegrated. "Well, I should be going. I have a few more people I need to check in with, see if there are any other ways to profit off the big event."

"Sorry we couldn't give you any dirt."

"Don't worry," and the smile finally returned to her face, "I'll find some way to make money off what we talked about."

"Wonderful."

As she stood up and walked past, however, Argo clasped Asuna's shoulder and leaned in to whisper in her ear. "I'm glad you found someone to trust, Aa-chan. This game needs more people like you."

And with that, she disappeared into the street. Asuna and Yuuki finished their breakfast largely in silence. They usually parted ways after this, trading a few messages back and forth as they went about their day. But this time, when Yuuki stood up, the younger girl looked to the side and rubbed the back of her neck.

"H-Hey, Asuna? I was wondering... there's something I'd like to talk to you about."

"That's the least I can do after everything you've done for me. Would you like to order a couple more teas?"

"Actually, um. I... don't really want to talk about it out here in the open." She fidgeted so much she looked like a leaf swaying in the wind, turning every direction except to meet Asuna's eyes. "Would you, um, mind coming back to my room?"

That made perfect sense, for where else would they get the level of privacy Yuuki needed. Yet as Asuna heard the request she swallowed hard, a strange feeling at the pit of her stomach.

"Of course," she managed. "It's not anything bad, is it?"

Yuuki's eyes went wide and she waved her hands in front of her. "No, no! It's nothing like that. It's just, um, kinda... embarrassing."

"Well, you don't ever have to worry about embarrassing yourself in front of me."

"R-Right. Thanks." Yuuki's wavering tone suggested she didn't quite believe it, however.

"Well then," Asuna said and rose back to her feet, "Lead the way!"

* * *

In the days after Kayaba's announcement, Asuna feared she'd never smile again. In one of her daily trips through the streets following her solo training sessions, Asuna heard someone remark that anyone who smiled in Aincrad was probably a PKer. Then fate intervened and she met someone who lifted the malaise the city cast over her and made her smile every time they were together.

And now, she needed to keep a poker face. The corners of her mouth rebelled, desperate to curve into a smile. She cleared her throat to tamp down the laugh that tried to break through. Yuuki peered at her with furrowed brow, the rest of her cherubic face hidden beneath the mask. Her attempt at a confident, aggressive stride landed with all the impact of a puppy charging at her. She threw one arm forward, a finger jutting at Asuna.

"Fear not, citizens of Aincrad! I am here!"

The line broke her, and Asuna's stoicism shattered into a fit of giggles.

"Hey!" Yuuki folded her arms over her chest. Even through the mask, Asuna recognized her signature pout. "You promised you wouldn't laugh!"

"I know, but..." she replied, trying to compose herself, "I wasn't expecting you to go Full Shounen on the introduction."

"How else am I supposed to do it? Walk up to people with a handshake and a smile?"

"I'm not sure bombastic is the way to go either, All Bright."

Yuuki's eyes narrowed. "If you even try to get that name to catch on, I'll never speak to you again."

"I won't. I promise."

Yuuki pulled off the mask and, despite her frustration, offered Asuna a demure smile. "I dunno if I can trust you since you've already broken one promise."

"I will never call you All Bright in front of other people."

"Good."

Asuna smirked, having _not_ promised to never use it again to tease her in private.

Yuuki flopped onto the couch with an exasperated sigh. "I've gotta say something, don't I?"

"Maybe you're thinking about it all wrong," she said as she turned to face her friend. "You shouldn't write out a speech or rehearse what you're going to say. You've got a good heart. Speak from there, and everyone will listen."

"I wish I believed in myself the way you do."

"All of Aincrad believes in Doraku. In you. You're amazing!" Somehow, despite her mounting embarrassment at those words, she pressed on. "And it's not just because you're great at the game. You're one of the few people in the game who's helping others. You've saved lives, including mine a few times by now. Besides, whatever you say at the meeting won't be nearly as important as what you do."

She nodded, leaning back. "I know it's really selfish of me to say this, but..." She paused, wringing her hands together. "It'd be a lot easier if I knew you were there too."

Asuna took a deep breath, closing her eyes. "I know. I'm just... not sure if I'm ready to face Diavel yet."

"What happened between you two?" As soon as the words came out, Yuuki clamped a hand over her mouth, then ducked her head. "S-Sorry. You don't have to tell me."

All the same, the question brought back vivid memories. The pained look. The strength fading from his grip. The way his body shattered in her arms. The scream she still heard when she tried to sleep at night. Asuna hugged her arms against her chest. Reliving the nightmare was bad enough, but telling the story? She doubted she had the strength for that.

But... for so long, she'd shouldered the burden of those memories alone.

Somehow, she found the words.

Somehow, she managed to hold back the tears.

"It's not... not about him. Not really. I met him on the first day of the game, before the announcement. There were four of us. Diavel, Takaharu and... Naeb." Her voice cracked. She'd not spoken his name since that day, not even in private. "I don't know for sure what happened, but... I think Naeb's family tried to take off his NerveGear. He just... disappeared. I couldn't even say a word. Somehow... I knew. Diavel told me he'd respawn in the town, that he'd be fine."

Her stomach knotted, the inside of her mouth dry. She couldn't fight off the tears any longer, and they started to stream down her cheeks. The tears she'd never managed to cry for him before.

"And then we found out he wasn't. That he was gone."

Yuuki said nothing, but her hand rested on Asuna's shoulder.

"Diavel freaked out. He told me it was his duty to protect us both, but he kept looking at me. Said he owed it to Naeb. But... I just ran off, without a word. At least a half dozen other players tried to stop me, vowed to be my protector. But Diavel never let up. He sends me messages every day. I've never replied. I hardly even look at them. I don't know what to say. I was scared. I... I'm still scared."

Yuuki moved closer, squeezing Asuna's shoulder as she did.

"I don't know if Takaharu will be there. I know he... well, she's alive. Argo checks for them when she visits the monument, even though I've never told her exactly what happened. Until now... I've never shared this with anyone."

"I'm so sorry, Asuna."

"The thing is, if I go, I'll probably have to face him. Maybe Takaharu as well. And I don't know what I'll say. I'm not sure I can say anything, at this point."

"But you won't be alone."

"I know. It's a big meeting. If I wear my cloak, he might not even notice me, so-"

"That's not what I meant."

Yuuki reached for Asuna's hand, clasping it between her own. The feeling of her fingers against her skin lifted some of the weight from her heart, but its jackrabbit rhythm remained the same. Yuuki's smile, more subdued than usual, also felt more natural. It washed the last of her anxiety away.

Replacing it was a strange thought; gratitude for the game that imprisoned them. All her life she'd worn different masks. The dutiful daughter, the dedicated student, the lady of high society. After she lost her grandparents, no one saw her without any of those facades in place. She'd stepped into Sword Art Online with the mask of her avatar. Though Kayaba stripped that away from her, she held the others in place.

Then she met someone who looked past it all and didn't recoil at what she saw.

Yuuki arrived like a torch fighting back the shadows, offering light and warmth where there had only been darkness before. And yet, at each meeting Asuna felt a strange flutter in the pit of her stomach. She could only attribute it to a lingering fear. Of failing to live up to her trust, of letting her get too close. Of losing her to this world.

"I think..."

No words followed.

Yuuki rubbed the back of her hand with her thumb. "If you go, I'll go. And I won't leave your side."

"Yuuki..."

"And if this Diavel guy or anyone else hassle you, they'll answer to me." She released Asuna's hand, only to lift it into the air, her little finger extended. "And you'll do the same for me, okay? We'll watch each other's backs."

In spite of everything, Asuna let out a strangled laugh. "A pinky swear?"

"It's the most sacred of vows! Of course, if you don't wanna..."

Her lip jutted out in a half pout. _That's not remotely fair_ , Asuna thought. Yet she smiled as she locked her own finger around Yuuki's.

"If you're there, I think I can do this."

"And I'm gonna stay by your side," Yuuki replied in a hushed whisper, "No matter what."

Those words brought an almost unbearable warmth to Asuna's face. _For the meeting. She means for the meeting. That's all._

That she hoped otherwise startled her. It took her longer than expected to pull her hand away.

"Thank you, Yuuki. No matter what happens... I'm glad I met you."

"Merida said you can't control how or when someone comes into your life. But when someone's meant to be there, you just know."

"I think she was right." Asuna took a deep breath, her shoulders straightening. "Then it's settled. We'll go to this meeting and join the raid party. As partners."

"Partners!" It came out with more enthusiasm than necessary, and Yuuki's cheeks colored.

"Still want to work on that speech?"

"Nah, I'm good. Think I'm gonna follow someone's advice and speak from the heart. And if they don't like me, that's fine."

"You sure?"

"If I've got you," Yuuki said, "I don't need anything else."

Those words echoed in Asuna's head long after the conversation ended. Perhaps she didn't need anything else either.

* * *

 _A/N - Depression is a real mf'er._

 _For the last few weeks, I've really struggled with whether or not I wanted to go on writing this story. Even whether or not writing was a path I wanted to continue going down. I'd planned to use NaNoWriMo 2019 to get a lot of chapters in the bank so there wasn't such a long delay. Then work, health and other real life complications conspired to keep me away from doing much of anything. I haven't even felt up to replying to people I usually talk to online, nor was I enthralled with the idea of being around friends and family RL. One weekend I played through two full seasons of Stardew Valley. While I think it's a wonderful charming game that can distract you from all of life's little obstacles, it's not what I'd call a productive use of my free time._

 _There's no magic cure for depression, no incantation that renews your faith in yourself and mutes all those horrible voices that lie to you every waking hour. It makes even the most minor disappointment a crisis and every positive an illusion that will crumble in our hands when we try to hold onto it. For me, emerging from the fog has been a step by agonizing step process and I'm still not out of the woods yet. But it's improving, and that's important._

 _If you're suffering, reach out to the people in your lives who care about you. Depression will lie to you about this too, but they will be there to help. Seek professional help if you're able. Most importantly, know that no matter how heavily the malaise hangs over you, it's an enemy that can be defeated. I'm a little nervous sharing all of this, but who knows? Maybe it'll help one person out there._

 _I hope to have Chapter Eight done sometime soon, but given the state of things I'm not going to make any promises for a specific time frame. In the mean time, thanks for all the kudos and the kind words. The reception this story's gotten has been one of the things that's been helpful pushing through all the BS._


	8. Chapter 8

The clash of blades rang out, echoing through the cavernous nave of the church. Once, it would have been a secondary revival spot for fallen players, a waypoint so they wouldn't have to respawn at the Town of Beginnings. Unlike the Room of Resurrection in Blackiron Palace, the church hadn't been re-purposed. Instead, it remained unused in the corner of town. The perfect spot for a duel.

The irony of potentially dying in a space designed for the renewal of life wasn't lost on Yuuki.

She parried the next strike. Pivoted to adjust her stance. Tried to read his next move. Her reflexes were faster. He compensated with an unparalleled understanding of the game system, the cooldown times and strike windows. That knowledge might prove the difference between them, a critical edge in a fight she never wanted. A fight she was desperate to stop.

"Please! Listen to me!"

He'd long since stopped answering with anything except his sword. Hatred powered every strike against her, an unrecognizable, almost feral quality in his eyes. It blinded him to his values, the goal of leaving this game and even the environment around them.

That's why he missed the entire church wavering for a split second, like the reflection in a pond distorted by a ripple. Nor did he notice that, after that, errant strikes to the environment no longer produced an Immortal Object warning. He'd carved a gouge in one of the walls, sliced the top off a pew, even shattered a stain glass window. He showed no signs that he noticed any of it.

Nor did he notice the one strike that broke her defenses and chipped away at her HP bar. She'd never accepted the duel. But his strikes still did damage. There was only one explanation.

Somehow, the town was no longer a safe zone.

That meant her attacks would harm him too, so she remained on the defensive. She parried, dodged and prayed he'd come to his senses soon. Yuuki wished she'd let Asuna accompany her. Perhaps she could have talked some sense into her opponent.

But perhaps Diavel wouldn't have listened to her either.

* * *

 _Six hours earlier..._

 _"Diplomacy is the art of tap dancing on a powder keg while juggling a blowtorch."_

Diavel hated that phrase, the baggage that came with it and sometimes even the man who uttered it. Yet his father's words echoed as he paced the prep room attached to the small amphitheater in Tolbana. Every so often he stopped and peered back at the door. _Any minute now,_ he told himself. _Any minute now someone's going to burst through that door with a new complaint._ Those histrionics canceled their prior meetings, so he expected another flare-up. Another fire he'd have to put out before this meeting went sky high.

"Think they'll show up?"

"They have ten minutes to cancel."

"And you put that past any of them?"

"Not at all." Diavel ran a hand through his blue hair. "I'm just reveling in my naivety, filled with hope that today will be the day the desire to leave this death game will outweigh all these petty squabbles."

"Don't let Kibaou hear you calling any of his complaints petty."

"I know-"

"You don't know the half of it. You're not the chosen sounding board for all his bitching."

Any second now, the brown-haired young man would launch into an impressive bitch session of his own. He slumped against the wall, a hand pressed dramatically to his temple. That meant he was about to begin an impressive diatribe. It had been that way between them since the beta test, ever since Diavel first met Lind and he complained about the difficulty of securing one of the last open spots for the SAO beta. Somehow, he fell in with the crew. When he wasn't complaining, he busied himself with not laughing at anyone's jokes.

During their first offline meet-up, Diavel learned that Lind worked in the accounting offices of a major trading firm. The job wound him tighter than a ten-day clock, stripping away his patience and humor in the process. Still, he fought well and had a knack for logistical planning that Diavel lacked. Given the current state of affairs, he was glad to have at least one old friend by his side. Especially when everyone else was trying his patience.

He moved to the door and peered out at the growing crowd. _Dad would love to hear I ended up giving a big speech after all_. Kayaba planned amphitheaters like this for in-game performances, like a virtual concert hall. The floors above contained large venues, designed for big name acts. Smaller stages like this afforded opportunities to aspiring performers.

All told the perfect place to have their first clearing meeting.

He studied the assembled players in turn. Most wore green or blue tunics, signifying which of the burgeoning groups they aligned with. He recognized a few of the players from encounters over the last month, but most were unfamiliar. None were the person he was looking for. A few fencers, but they were all men. His gaze lingered on a trio in deep maroon cloaks. Perhaps... _no. Too tall_.

Lind clasped a hand on his shoulder. "I'm starting to get the impression you're less worried about the groups showing up, instead focused on a single player."

"Is it that obvious?"

Lind regarded the self-styled knight and rubbed his chin, "Hmmm. I'll put it this way; Never play poker. You'd lose your family's nice big house in a week."

"Thanks for the vote of confidence, buddy."

"You asked. I answered."

"Fair enough." Diavel leaned against the wall, exasperated. "I'm just worried. I know Takaharu's safe and off the front lines. But until today, Asuna's never even responded to a single one of my messages."

"Yet you keep sending them," Lind replied. "While I understand your concern, there should come a time when you will have to accept her lack of response as an answer unto itself. Everyone's dealing with this in their own way. From what you told me, she didn't react well when-"

"I'd rather not think about that."

Lind stiffened, nodded. "Of course. The point is, you're possibly the only person in this game who can unite these different factions into a cohesive unit. The player base needs you." He paused, regarding Diavel with the same critical eye he probably used on the ledgers in his day job. "Even if your crush doesn't."

Had the line come from anyone else, Diavel would have suspected they were teasing him. Still, he waved his hands in empathic denial. "It's nothing like that! It's just... they didn't know each other long, but she hit it off with Natsu. If I can save her, then maybe that makes up for-"

"There was nothing you could have done, Hiroshi."

"Yeah. But even so, it doesn't sit right with me. That's why I need to make sure Asuna escapes this game. I owe it to Natsu."

"Then, if she continues to ignore your overtures, the best way to help her is to focus your efforts on beating the game and freeing its players." Lind pursed his lips. "Or would you prefer the reins of leadership fall to Kibaou, or the intern using Thinker's account? To say nothing of if that CoF member shows up and-"

"I'm drawing the line there." Diavel's expression grew several shades darker than Lind ever thought possible. "No Corsair will ever join the clearing group."

"Even if they're an asset?"

"Even if they're the best player in the game."

"You don't really think they'd behave the same, do you?"

"I don't know _what_ people are capable of, given our situation. You read the bulletin from Argo. Someone was using the Anneal Blade quest to kill players for their own benefit. There are PKers out there. Somehow, I doubt the CoF has gotten warm and cuddly."

"That only reaffirms my opinion. Of all possible choices, you are the most viable candidate as our leader."

"I've never been good at that. That was always Naeb's role."

"Then ask yourself what Natsu would do, and follow that path."

"Thanks for the advice, Lind."

"Someone needs to push you down the right path." He peered out the door. "Why are there so many players wearing cloaks?"

"The maroon trio?"

"No, two others this time. It makes you wonder, do they have something to hide?"

Diavel followed his gaze to the two new arrivals. A one-handed swordswoman in a purple hooded cloak and a taller companion in blue. The girl in purple wore a mask that obscured most of her face, a touch the blue hood lacked. He noted the weapon at her side.

A rapier. She was a fencer.

Then he noticed a flash of chestnut brown hair and his suspicions were confirmed.

Lind noticed his shock. "Hmmm? Is something wrong?"

"No." In spite of everything, Diavel smiled. "Actually, for the first time in this damned game, something's gone right."

"Oh. Is that her?"

"It is!"

"And her friend? Is that... Takaharu, I think you called her?"

"No, I haven't seen her friend before. But I'm sure I'll be introduced in due time." He slapped Lind on the shoulder. "For the first time in a while, I've got a good feeling about this meeting!"

Five minutes later, just before he planned to take the stage, the fistfight broke out.

* * *

"Who the hell are you two with?"

The man, Asuna decided, reminded her of a mace.

The impression started with his brown hair, uniquely styled with tiny blunt spikes. Build like an anvil, he could have been the poster child for that classic parental threat, _If you keep making that face, it'll get stuck that way!_ He glowered with a scowl carved of granite, one that could only grow more severe as the veins on his forehead bulged. Blunt, heavy-handed and, judging from his tone, not terribly concerned with what (or who) he ripped through. A mace indeed.

"No one."

"You're wearing blue," he spat. "Not the same shade of blue as all those losers following the so-called knight, but blue's blue." He jabbed a finger in Yuuki's direction next. "And I ain't seen nobody with purple before. What the hell's that supposed to mean?"

Yuuki regarded him with a bemused look, like someone peering down at a tiny yapping dog. "That... I like purple?"

"You getting smart with me, grape?"

Asuna choked down a laugh. _Grape? Really?_

But the furrow in Macehead's brow only deepened. "And you're both hiding your faces. And you've got a mask on to boot. What're you hiding?"

"They're fashion choices," Yuuki replied. "Kinda like how you want to look like a wilted cactus."

"What did you say?"

Asuna stepped forward, her tone even. "This is how we prefer to dress, just like how some people are wearing helmets. We don't want any trouble, we just want to sit down for the meeting."

"Don't align with a faction, hiding your faces, got crappy attitudes." Macehead snapped his neck to one side, then slapped his fist into a waiting open palm. "I bet you're a couple of lousy beta testers, aren't you?"

"Um..."

"See, me and my people? We got an issue with you beta tester types. Lots of good people have died because you're not willing to share what you know and help them along."

"We're not."

But he was beyond listening. "Maybe we should show you what we do to selfish-"

A large hand closed around his collar and picked him up as easily as a mother cat might an unruly kitten and set him to the side.

"Leave them be, Kibaou. They're here to help."

Their savior was tall, easily over six feet tall. She wore pale blue armor from head to toe, her face hidden behind the t-shaped visor of her horned helm. A massive shield and a large spear with a broad, rounded blade were strapped to her back.

"You stay outta this, Hippolyta. It's got nothing to do with you."

"You start trying to bull the newbies, it becomes my business." Despite the tension, Asuna picked up on two strange things. First, Hippolyta spoke with a pronounced accent. Probably American. Second, Yuuki stared at her in confusion. It almost looked like recognition.

"This is between me and them, so back off."

"Or what? You're gonna flash your mean face at me?" She regarded Asuna and Yuuki a moment before turning her attention back to Macehead, or Kibaou as she'd called him. "While I'm sure these ladies can handle themselves, they don't need your crap. As for me? You know I'm unmesswithable."

Yuuki perked up even more at that comment.

Kibaou, on the other hand, took another step forward, unphased by the warning. Up close their height difference was more pronounced and probably did nothing to improve his sparkling personality.

"I don't back down from anyone who protects beta testers."

"Um," Asuna said, taking a step back and tugging Yuuki along with her.

"Get out of my face," Hippolyta said, "Or mark my words, the safe zone won't keep me from knocking your ass out."

"Um."

"Looks like I'm still here."

" _Um._ "

Hippolyta leaned forward.

Kibaou shoved her.

As promised, Hippolyta threw an uppercut that smashed into Kibaou's chin, sending him hard to the ground.

Around the four of them, all hell broke loose.

The green-clad players swarmed first, rushing to the aid of their fallen comrade and nearly trampled Asuna and Yuuki in the process. Hippolyta answered their charge with wild haymakers. The green players fought back, but punches went astray and dragged more players into the growing brawl. Blue clad players ran into the scrum next, desperate to break up the fight but only contributing to the chaos.

In seconds, Asuna and Yuuki were in a mosh pit of chain mail and scabbards, desperately avoiding punches and looking for a way out. In the madness, Asuna found Yuuki's hand and held on tight. Even with the protection of the safe zone, the crushing throng reminded her of the battle against the Nepenthes. They wouldn't be separated here, either.

Somehow, amid the madness, they heard a voice call out.

"Blue! Purple! This way!"

A pair of burly players in red, both wielding large shields, pushed back the brawling players like football linemen. It afforded the pair a sliver of daylight. One quick look and the two girls dashed for it. They emerged into the open air and skidded to a stop several feet away. The fighting mass behind them seemed to not notice their escape.

"You two okay?"

She stood out among the eight who stood in front of them, but she would've done the same among the entire seven thousand strong population of the game. Not just because she was one of a handful of Americans trapped in _Sword Art Online_ , nor was it her almost flawless Japanese. Nor was it her red hair or green eyes, though both were pretty as well.

It came down to her smile, warm and inviting without seeming cloying. You'd put that smile in an advertisement and people would flock to the product in droves. It took Asuna a moment to turn her attention to the six men and another girl who flanked her, including a man with spiky hair that looked faintly familiar to her.

"Thanks for the help," Yuuki said.

"Don't worry about keeping track of debts. We're all in this together, right?"

Asuna liked her attitude even more than the smile.

"Name's Agnes, but everyone calls me Aggie." She blanched, looking away a moment. "Well, _technically_ my name here is Aymr, but everyone. Just. Sort of. Recognize me because of my gaming channel."

"I'm sorry, don't think I've ever heard of it."

"Me either," Yuuki chimed in.

To their surprise, the response cheered her. "Oh thank goodness! It's such a relief to meet people who don't parrot back their favorite lines to me. I think that's why I'm so grateful Klein and his friends took me in."

"You're saying that like you're a burden." The spiky-haired man said. "You've been a pretty big part of Fuurinkazan!"

"Wait, you're the guild that found the labyrinth?"

"Sure are!" Klein paused, leaned forward toward Asuna. "But I'm much more curious who _you_ are, my lovely-"

Aggie drove an elbow hard into his side. "Focus, Klein." Then she turned back to Asuna. "He's a bit of a scoundrel, but a good guy overall. But I didn't catch your names."

"I'm Asuna, and that's-"

"What's going on out here?"

They'd almost completely forgotten about the brawl.

It had slowed, though a few players still needed to be pried apart, to the chagrin of the man on stage. At first, Asuna didn't recognize him. He'd dyed his hair blue, and gone was the cocky posturing and wry grin. He was stoic now, the very picture of a prim and proper knight.

He reminded her very much of Naeb.

"One of your people took a shot at me!" Kibaou shouted. The green-clad players swarmed behind him, pointing at Hippolyta.

"I'm not one of his or _anyone's_ , not even my husband." She folded her arms over her chest. "Besides, you earned what you got by being an ass."

"She's wearing your colors!"

"There's no law limiting what colors a player can or cannot wear," Diavel said. For a split second, he turned his gaze to Asuna, and she saw a flicker of that old smile again. "And there aren't any true guilds yet. But I can affirm she's not part of my group."

"I prefer to think of myself as an independent contractor," Hippolyta said.

"That a fancy word for beta tester?"

"Again with the beta testers?" The exasperated question came from Diavel's second.

"They're to blame for how many of us have died so far! They've monopolized the best hunting spots and quests and abandoned anyone who wasn't as experienced as them."

Aggie sidled up to Asuna and Yuuki and sighed. "Here we go again."

"This happens often?"

"Why do you think this meeting kept getting canceled?"

"They need to stop arguing and work together," Yuuki said.

"Yeah, but that's easier said than done." She shrugged. "Got any ideas on how to get a couple of obnoxious gamers to shut up and listen?"

Yuuki's eyes lit up as she looked to Asuna.

"Yeah. Maybe I do."

With that, she stepped forward and spread her arms wide. "Hey! Everyone!"

"Pipe down, small fry!" Kibaou snarled. "You and your friend over there started this trouble in the first place."

"Maybe," Yuuki said, "You're the one who needs to pipe down."

"Huh? Who the hell do you think you are?"

Asuna laughed at how he teed up the perfect shot for Yuuki.

"I'm Doraku."

The crowd fell silent at first, then murmurs of discussion started to spread, along with a few incredulous shouts. Then a confirmation from a player, then another and another. What started as a few huzzahs built into a low rumble, people shouting her name. Even Kibaou eventually joined into the cheer at her appearance. Everyone looked thrilled.

Everyone, Asuna noted, except one person. From the moment she said her name until he formally started the meeting, Diavel never stopped glaring.

* * *

The meeting proceeded after the reveal and, except for a few Kibaou outbursts, it went without incident. While it focused on organization and strategy for the upcoming raid, she also gleaned a few things about the basic organization of the other players in Sword Art Online.

While the quest to establish guilds wouldn't be unlocked until higher floors, a few nascent groups had already formed. Players loyal to Diavel and his ideals of cooperation and supporting lower level players called themselves the Dragon Knight Alliance. They were a loose association without formal hierarchy or rules, though Diavel was seen as its de facto leader. They also held close to his ideas of chivalry, which he'd clearly adapted from Naeb.

The Aincrad Liberation Squad worked under Kibaou, a more clearly established leader. Their philosophy revolved around clearing the game at any cost. They also believed that players unable to join the front lines needed to contribute in some way to the effort. The group readily adopted Kibaou's anti-beta tester stance, probably another reason why Argo refused to identify anyone who'd played in the beta. The two factions loathed one another, meaning the alliance to conquer the labyrinth was tenuous at best.

Absent was a third faction associated with the popular web site MMO Today. During the beta test, they'd been led by a player named Thinker, apparently well known to anyone familiar with video games. Due to a scheduling conflict, he'd assigned an intern to cover the launch and it was the intern who gathered players under the MMO Today banner. He advocated staying on the first floor, determined to wait for rescue or for Kayaba to grow bored of the game. One of the few things Diavel and Kibaou agreed on was their low opinion of this new Thinker.

There were a few smaller guilds, but not more prominent than Fuurinkazan, thanks to their discovery of the labyrinth. Klein (who Asuna finally remembered from her first day in the game) apparently formed the group with five of his real-life friends, then added Aggie and their younger dual knife-wielding partner no long after Kayaba's announcement. Their burgeoning skill earned them a place at the table with the larger guilds.

Well, that and Aggie's apparent popularity. Every time she was mentioned during the meeting, the American girl looked ready to hide behind her comrades.

As for the meeting itself, there was a lot of technical jargon Asuna didn't fully understand, but the basic plan seemed to involve splitting into a raid party consisting of each group's best members. For all the meeting's earlier drama, no one seemed to question the plan Diavel laid out, and the meeting adjourned with plans to venture into the labyrinth the next morning.

Once it did, people streamed over to Yuuki and patted her on the back, thanking her for her help. Even Kibaou, though eschewing an actual apology, muttered a few complimentary words to her. Every so often, Yuuki would reach over and squeeze Asuna's hand, clearly overwhelmed by the sudden influx of attention.

Hippolyta was one of the last people to approach, hanging back until the last of the Aincraid Liberation Squad moved past.

"Sorry about earlier," she said, strangely demure now.

"It's okay, you probably didn't know things were going to get that bad."

"Probably should have, to be honest. Kibaou's not known for, well, rational judgment. But he's a hell of a player and his people will follow him into the mouth of hell, so that says something for him. And, if I'm being honest, I've never been the most rational person in the world."

"Still, we appreciate you coming to help us." Asuna said.

"Never cared much for bullies, though I didn't realize who you were running with." She gave Yuuki a playful punch on the shoulder. "With all these great players _and_ Doraku on our side? Those plebs aren't ready for us!"

Yuuki froze, her eyes wide. "Oh my gosh," she whispered. "Oh. My. Gosh."

"Yuuki? Is something wrong?"

She pointed at Hippolyta like a witness fingering a murder suspect. "Enigma!"

Asuna stared at her, dumbstruck. "Um, what?"

"Enigma Wildflower!" Yuuki stared at the armored fighter in awe. "That's who you are, isn't it?"

A deep laugh bellowed under the helmet. "Well well, who thought the great Doraku would be a fan of _mine_?"

"Are you kidding? My dad and I watched all the time! We watched the match when you beat Riho for the World of Stardom championship live two years ago!"

"I'm flattered, but that was all before my injury, getting married and opening a business." She slapped a hand to her chest with a loud metallic clang. "Besides... here, I'm Hippolyta!"

They exchanged a few more pleasantries before parting company. As soon as she left, Aggie dashed over to them.

"You have no idea how cool it is to see someone _else_ as the center of attention." She rested a hand on Yuuki's shoulder. "They didn't bother you too much, did they?"

"It wasn't too bad," Yuuki replied. "But I hope it's not a regular thing."

"A hint, let someone else get the last attack bonus. It'll deflect a little bit of the shine," she said. Then she paused, shuffling her feet in front of the two. "So... I was wondering if I could ask a favor?"

"Of course," Asuna replied. "What did you need?"

"It looks like you two are in a party by yourself, huh?"

Asuna nodded.

"The guys in Fuurinkazan are used to working together and since she's still pretty low level, I don't think Big Bro Klein is going to let Silica join in on this one. So, would you mind if I joined up with you two?"

"Not at all!" Yuuki said. "The more the better, right?"

"Great!" She flashed that million dollar smile at them both. "You know, it's going to be nice to run around with people who don't know who I am. Nice as the boys are, they're also fans."

"We're glad to have you!"

"And _I'll_ try not to fangirl over you, Doraku!"

They all laughed. _Laughed_. Asuna almost couldn't believe it. For the first time, she started to see the game the same way she did on that first day. Strange, given the gravity of their situation. But perhaps, with people like Aggie, Klein, and Hippolyta, she could forge new friendships in the game after all.

Perhaps, she thought as she saw Diavel approach, enough renew old ones.

However, he brushed past her without a word, instead standing in front of Yuuki.

"Doraku. Thank you for coming to the meeting. We couldn't have gotten it under control without you." The words were kind, but his flat tone shook Asuna, to say nothing of the cold stare he fixed on Yuuki.

"I just want to help us all get home."

"I see." He glanced down at her scabbard. "An interesting sword. Don't think I've seen one like that before."

I found it in Horunka Village."

The second Yuuki mentioned the town, Diavel's jaw clenched. "I see. I didn't realize you'd been there."

"It wasn't that long ago, actually. I-"

"There's something I need to discuss with you. In private."

"Can't we talk about it here?"

"It's a sensitive matter I don't want to discuss around other players. I have other affairs to attend to, but perhaps we could meet at the church? Say, around seven o'clock?"

"Um. Sure."

"I look forward to it." He spun around, only making brief eye contact with Asuna before he walked away.

Aggie looked at them both, puffing her cheeks out. "Awkward. I think I'll leave you two to sort out, um, whatever that was all about. Tomorrow?"

"Tomorrow!"

As soon as Aggie walked away, Asuna leaned in closer to Yuuki.

"That was... weird."

But she was smiling. "He _must_ know something about Merida and her guild!"

"Maybe." Asuna could only think of the way he looked at her friend. "He didn't seem happy about it."

"I guess not. But what's the harm in meeting with him?"

"I don't see any, honestly."

But as the two walked away, a message light flashed up in Asuna's display. From Diavel. She opened it, and it only contained three words.

 _Don't trust her._

* * *

With all of the drama, no one noticed the three figures in the maroon cloaks leave before the meeting began.

They weren't concerned with the first-floor boss raid. Nothing would go according to Diavel's plan anyway.

And two certain players wouldn't be taking part in the battle at all.

* * *

 _A/N: You get worse before you get better, and I'm glad to say I've passed through both sides of that experience now. I've been chipping away at 1,000 words a day in January and I'm hopeful that it won't be a month plus before the next chapter gets uploaded. That said, I've made that claim before so we'll see how that works out._

 _That said, the next few chapters will be a lot easier than this unwieldy beast, since it had a lot of table-setting to do and a lot of our heroes taking a backseat to world building. At least I finally found a way to write the meeting without having to write the meeting, which I think is why I dragged my feet for so long. I also hope I didn't butcher any characterization too badly here, though I admit to having way more fun writing Kibaou than I would have ever thought._

 _The other idea that I'm not sure I'll be able to play with quite as much is all the changes that have happened in gaming since the original Sword Art Online light novels were written and how that might impact the game. You know there'd HAVE to be a streamer or two in there, and that gave me an excuse to transplant a refugee from a failed novel project into this story, though ever so briefly._

 _Anyhow, I'll hopefully have Chapter Nine out a lot sooner, but I'd love to hear what you think!_


	9. Chapter 9

It should have felt perfect.

Light from the setting sun cascaded off the buildings and lit up the cobblestone pathway like liquid gold. She held a crepe in one hand, not as fancy as the ones in Roite Village in Serene Garden, but enough to conjure wonderful memories with dear friends. Her other hand held Asuna's, something she'd managed to do without blushing. By all rights, this should have been something out of a dream.

Looking at Asuna dragged her back to reality. She barely touched her own food, a mask of consternation locked firmly in place. They'd danced around the subject of her impending meeting with Diavel, to say nothing of the message he sent Asuna. It lurked over their shoulders as they left the amphitheater, lingered as they browsed the item shops and loomed as they ordered their food, its shadow always cast over Asuna's face.

It had been her idea to relax in the hours before Yuuki would meet Diavel in the church, but her demeanor suggested a level of enjoyment somewhere between a root canal and listening to Kibaou rant about beta testers. The way she kept opening her menu to check the time didn't help, constantly reminding them both about the thing they weren't supposed to be thinking about.

As they reached the end of the street, Asuna took a big bite from the crepe then looked to Yuuki and broke that silence.

"Are you sure this is a good idea?"

Yuuki struggled to meet her gaze. "Well, no. To be honest, I'm kinda anxious about it. But the whole reason I'm here is because of the promise I made to Merida. This is the first lead I've gotten. Even if something bad happened between her guild and Diavel, I need to know. It still might help me find them!"

"It's just..." Asuna's voice wavered. "It could make things difficult tomorrow if you're both at odds with each other."

"No matter what happened between them, beating the game is more important, right? Besides, I'm not Merida. He won't be angry with me."

"Um, right," Asuna replied without a hint of conviction in her voice.

They resumed their walk, finishing off the last of the crepes in silence. The church loomed in the distance as they came to a stop.

"I tried to tell him how you saved my life, but he didn't reply to me." She managed a humorless smile. "Guess I know how it feels now."

"I'm sure everything will be fine." Yuuki paused. " _Awkward_ , but fine."

"I hope so."

Back with her friends in SereGa, she would have flashed a cocky grin, held up a victory sign and laughed off their concerns. Everything felt different with Asuna. She wanted to soothe her worries, to erase that concerned look. She wanted... no, she _needed_ to see her real smile. She longed for that more than anything else right now. Scooting in front of her, she clasped both of her friend's hands within her own.

"Trust me. Everything will be okay."

Asuna remained silent, but her lingering grimace screamed her doubts. That look tied a knot in her stomach, an ache she tried to tell herself she didn't understand.

But she knew. She knew and fought against the idea tooth and nail.

 _If I knew a way to take away your worries and keep you safe, I'd do it,_ she thought. _I want to make it so you never hurt again. You don't deserve all this pain and anxiety. You deserve so much. More than I could ever possibly give, but I don't want to stop trying._

She wanted to say all of that. Even more, a tiny part of her wanted to admit a truth bubbling under the surface since they first met. The way being with Asuna made her forget her worries and made her smile feel more genuine than it ever had. It made no sense, given how brief their time together had been.

 _"You need to be realistic about the future."_

Words spoken to her months ago came back to the surface. She hated it to admit it, but they rang true. She didn't have the right to say those things to Asuna. They were lies, all of them. Never hurt again? The only way Yuuki could guarantee that would be to push Asuna away. Disappear. Separate with her and spare her the pain of the inevitable.

"The first sign of any trouble, I'll message you. Okay?" was what finally came out.

That, at least, seemed to relieve some of the tension and Asuna finally rewarded her with that beautiful smile.

"I'm holding you to that promise, okay?"

"Deal."

"And we'll stick together tomorrow."

"Ha! With Aggie helping us out and all the others on our side? That boss won't know what hit it!"

Then they fell silent again, smiling and looking into one another's eyes. Yuuki didn't want the moment to end. She wanted to believe Asuna felt the same.

Yet it was Asuna who finally took a deep breath and squeezed her hands. "You should probably get going."

"Yeah. Guess I've got to go have that talk, huh? Hopefully it won't take long."

"I hope not." Asuna bit her lower lip, then surprised Yuuki with a giggle. "No matter how short it is, I'm still going to miss you."

Wow. Yuuki had never felt her pulse race like that before.

 _No. I can't even think about the possibility that she..._

"When this is done, you're gonna have a hard time getting rid of me."

"Good."

Slowly, reluctantly, she broke the contact between them, taking a few steps back and giving a little wave before she spun around and faced the church. Her pace quickened as she approached, slipping her mask back into place.

She'd talked about promises with Asuna, but she'd made another one to a dear friend, and now she had a chance to keep it. Her first chance to find Merida's friends and make sure they remained safe.

She squeezed one hand into a fist. No matter what happened, she'd keep them all safe.

* * *

The shadows that danced at the edges of Asuna's vision were a welcome distraction.

From the moment she parted company with Yuuki, a great many thoughts flooded her mind, all of them heavy and only a few pleasant. The golden light of sunset faded, activity ebbing from the streets as night fell and torches sparked to life along the roadway. Players and NPCs alike retreated indoors as a cool evening breeze drifted through the town, making the fencer hug her arms tight to her body.

Just under the nightly background music loop, she heard beautiful music paired with horrendous singing drifting out of one of the local taverns. Someone must've hit up those poor minstrels to become a makeshift karaoke band. Mercifully, the bad music gave her something else to focus on, though she lingered outside the tavern, ready to sprint back to the church at a moment's notice.

She'd been suffering through a butchering of a LiSA song when she first noticed the movement. In stark contrast to the lazy evening around her, the phantom moved quickly. So quickly that Asuna jumped and spun around, but saw nothing but an empty street behind her.

 _I'm so nervous that I'm seeing things now._

But a moment later she saw the movement again, shattering that theory.

She ran through all the possibilities. Too large to a squirrel or a bird. From her reading back at the Town of Beginnings, no one should have had a high enough stealth stat to elude detection this early into the game. The light breeze couldn't have rustled any of the trees. Perhaps something thrown into the air, but there was no one else on the street.

She'd almost given up the search when it crossed in front of a lit window. The shadowy figure blended in almost perfectly with the darkened sky as it scampered across the rooftop. Watching a moment longer, she made out a second, similar shape beside it. They rested only a minute before bounding away, further down the street.

 _Just leave it alone. It's nothing you need to worry about._

Her feet started moving before she finished the thought.

They glided along with grace and speed befitting a cat, though they didn't seem to have a destination in mind. They went in one direction, then spun around and bolted the opposite way. All the while, Asuna struggled to keep up while trying to make out more about the shadowy intruders. They were human in shape, but slightly off from what she expected. Their arms and legs were long, like they'd been pulled through a taffy machine. They betrayed no detail besides their basic shape, even when they passed close to the torches along the road.

Could it be another quest, like the enticing aroma that drew her and Yuuki into the sword quest in Horunka? If so, she wondered if abandoning the pursuit might be the smart choice. With the labyrinth raid tomorrow, the last thing she needed was another distraction. And if that quest was any indication, she'd need more than one person to tackle it.

Yet creeping anxiety drove her onward and kept the chase alive. This felt different, somehow out of place with the rest of the game. The shadowy figures picked up speed and Asuna broke into a sprint. The more she observed the otherworldly silhouettes, the more doubts and worries nagged at her. As she rounded a corner, she thought about what they could be and why she felt so threatened.

And promptly ran into another player hard enough for both of them to slam into the ground.

"Hey! Watch where you're going!" the stranger cried as Asuna staggered back to her knees. "Maybe if y'all spent less time in bars and more training, we'd- Oh. It's you!"

When Asuna looked up, a face full of freckles greeted her, framed by short brown hair. The merchant girl she'd sped past every morning in Tolbana.

"Oh. Um. Hi."

"Hmph, no wonder you never had time to stop. Apparently, you're always in a hurry." She glanced over her shoulder, where a large bundle sat, strapped to her back. "Just my luck. I finally get to talk to you and I've already closed up for the night."

Asuna took in a deep breath. Years of being trained in etiquette demanded she apologize, but she might lose track of the rooftop phantoms. With a grimace, she rubbed the back of her head. "I don't mean to be rude-"

The vendor girl held up a finger. "Too late."

Trying to ignore the warmth in her cheeks, Asuna staggered back to her feet and offered the girl a hand up. "Sorry about that."

She took it and stood up, brushing off her drab clothes. "Eh, no harm done."

Asuna smiled, then looked to the rooftops. Nothing. Her attention returned to the girl. "Say, have you seen anything strange tonight?"

"What, besides a cloaked girl sprinting through town and barreling me over for no good reason?"

"Besides me," Asuna conceded. "Like, on the rooftops?"

"Don't really spend a lot of time looking up, to be honest. What would I be looking for?"

"A couple of people."

The vendor's eyes went wide in shock. "What, you mean like some kinda creepers or something?"

"No!" Asuna's cheeks puffed out. "Well, maybe. That's what I'm trying to figure out."

Cupping her hands over her eyes, the other girl looked up. After a second, she pointed to a rooftop further down the streets. "Your friends are over there."

"They're not my friends, that much I know." Asuna regarded the girl a moment. Hadn't she just thought investigating alone would be a mistake? She put her hands on her hips, mustering every bit of her mother's authority as she could. "We need to follow them."

"Oooooh no. I just wrapped a very busy day of not selling a damn thing. The only thing _I_ need to do is down my sorrow with a big dinner before I curl up in bed. Chasing those... whatever they are... is pretty much the exact opposite of that."

"I could really use some backup."

"And I could really use a bowl of ramen, guess which one of those is gonna win? Besides, I've got a very strict 'Don't Get Involved in Nonsense' policy and this? This seems like a whole mess of nonsense."

Asuna pondered her response a moment and briefly considered backing down. However, her stubbornness won out. She thought of what the girl had just said. Her face grew serious.

"I'll buy all my gear for the boss raid exclusively from you."

"That's nice, but one person doesn't make that big a difference, y'know? Have you _tried_ the tonkatsu ramen in this town? It's to die for."

"I'll ask my friend to do the same."

A crack appeared in the vendor's stoic facade, but she hid it quickly. "Two people is better, but that still isn't going to help me turn a profit.

She had her. Asuna flashed a confident smirk. "Did I mention my friend's name?"

"Why would that-"

"Doraku."

First, her jaw fell open. Then her eyes lit up so brightly Asuna half expected to see dollar signs in them.

"You're lying to me."

"I mean, if you're not interested, I can just go on my own and she'll have to buy from someone else."

Asuna started to turn, but the girl caught her arm.

"You know, that ramen can wait. The exclusive equipment provider of Doraku has a pretty nice ring to it, doesn't it?"

"It does."

"I help you chase down these bogeymen and you and Doraku buy from me tomorrow morning. I think we have a deal, Miss...?"

"O-oh! Asuna."

"Well then, Miss O-oh Asuna, let me introduce you to the one, the only, the soon to be the greatest blacksmith in all of Aincrad, Lisbeth! But you can call me Liz."

"It's a pleasure to meet you, Liz."

"And it'll be _my_ pleasure to meet your col in the morning. In the meantime... shall we chase some shadows?"

* * *

The heavy oak door screeched open, the sound reverberating in the empty church. Yuuki's footsteps sounded like cannon fire in the stillness as she made her way toward the altar. She had expected the usual signs of disuse, like cobwebs, dust, some level of disrepair. Instead, each pew was immaculate, every surface polished to a shine. Candles illuminated the cavernous interior, casting heavy shadows in all directions. It awaited a congregation that would never arrive.

In many ways, it reminded her of the church her parents attended before their illness prevented such trips. Her mother always chose a pew at the front, reciting each line of scripture from memory as she held her and her sister's hands. For the first time, she wondered if Mama and Papa could somehow see her within the game, or if they'd only be looking down on her prone form in a bed, connected to a massive machine.

Those intrusive thoughts only made the chapel that much eerier. Best to finish the meeting and leave as quickly as possible.

"Hello?"

At first, she heard only the echo of her own voice. Only when she reached the altar did she get a response.

"Doraku."

He emerged from behind one of the columns, looking nothing like the man Asuna described nor the one who'd spoken such noble words hours earlier. He offered no pleasantries after speaking her name, nor did he smile. He scowled at her, no longer maintaining the mask of civility he'd hidden behind at their first meeting. The candlelight cast a sinister glow on his face. He looked older, tired. Dangerous.

She tried to keep her own tone upbeat. "What did you want to talk about?"

His eyes narrowed. "As though you don't already know. As though either of us could forget what you did."

She tilted her head. "I met you for the first time earlier today."

"Guess that's true, in its own way. I had a different face in the beta. A different name, too." He laughed with all the warmth of a funeral dirge. "You know, for a second... for a _second,_ when I saw you standing there with Asuna, I held out hope you'd changed. Figured she was a good judge of character. But then I asked you where you found that sword. You didn't even try to hide it! When Argo told us about the scam, I figured it was you. You pulled the same stunt on the fifth floor, you and the rest of your friends."

Yuuki's eyes went wide. "So you _did_ know Doraku's guild during the beta!"

He started to move, taking deliberate steps to one side. Yuuki turned with him, her unease growing with each step.

"The catacombs beneath Karluin, does that ring a bell?"

"Diavel, there's something you need to know. I'm not actually-"

"You and the rest of the Corsairs of Fuma led a couple of players down there. Let the monsters there wipe them out, then you and your friends swept in and picked up the loot, along with all the rare items they dropped. Just like with the Anneal Blades."

"Wait! I'm not who you think I am."

"That's the mistake Terra made. No, you're _exactly_ who I think you are. You haven't changed since the beta." He glared at Yuuki's sword, still in its sheath. "But it was never about the Anneal Blades at all, was it? All those lives were just a means to an end. Throw enough people at the Nepenthes, they're bound to spawn whatever rare drop you needed to get that sword."

"No, you've got it all wrong! When Asuna and I went there-"

"You took _Asuna_ there?" His voice rose, his scowl deepened, anger roiling now. She'd never seen a look of pure hatred like the one he fixed on her now. "You were going to sacrifice her too?"

"No! We wandered in there by mistake. I never meant to-"

"You expect me to believe you? You think I'm going to accept a single word you have to say?" Diavel spat the words. "You Corsairs took advantage of every shortcut, glitch, and loophole you could find to improve your own lot in the beta. Striking fast, leaving others to take the brunt of the enemy's aggro. You tricked players and stole the fruits of their hard work without a second thought. But now? To do the same thing, given what we're faced with? You're letting people die just so you can live!"

"I'm... I'm not the Doraku you knew! She's my friend in the real world. I came here in her place!"

"Oh, and she sent you into the first day of the game? I expected a better lie from you." His hand went to the handle of his blade. "Here's what's going to happen. You're going to leave town. Tonight. I don't give a damn where you go, but you're not getting anywhere near the raid party. And you will _never_ speak to Asuna again."

Diavel could've plunged his blade between her ribs and it wouldn't have hurt as much as the thought of losing Asuna.

"I made her a promise..."

"And I made a promise to a friend this game stole from me. I swore that I'd keep Asuna safe. Besides, you made plenty of promises to people in the beta as well. What's one more?"

"How about what Asuna wants?

"She's been influenced by all the lies you've told her." He paused, his whole body trembling with rage. "Maybe I didn't make myself clear, but I wasn't asking. You're going to leave."

"No. I won't!"

"Well then, you always liked games back in the beta. Let's play one ourselves. A duel to fifty percent damage. If I win, you get out of town and leave Asuna alone."

"And if I win?"

He shook his head. "You won't."

"And if I don't accept the duel?"

"I thought you might say something like that. Funny thing about these safe zones. They don't let you damage other players, but you can still hit them. They still feel the force of the blow." He drew his sword, readied his shield. "And you should have been paying attention."

Only then did she realize why he'd been pacing. He'd moved to block the only exit, keeping her trapped within the church unless he moved.

"Maybe I can't damage you, but I can keep you from leaving until you accept."

"And you're gonna stand there forever?"

"I don't need to last forever," Diavel replied. "Just long enough to get what I want."

"I won't fight you. You're Asuna's friend, so I-"

She barely jumped away from Diavel's slashing blade.

"It's _because_ I'm her friend that I'm doing this. I won't let you hurt her!" He leveled his shield. "I'm not losing anyone else to this game! And that means I have to keep her safe from you and the rest of your guild."

"But I've been trying to tell you, I'm not-"

"Shut up! He lashed out again, narrowly missing her. "Just shut up! I won't be taken in by all your lies. You might be able to trick others, I won't let you hurt anyone else!"

She wanted to keep pleading with him, to make him understand she wasn't the person he'd known. But the crazed look in his eyes told her there was no reasoning with him now. She stepped away and put a hand on the hilt of her sword. However, she didn't draw it. Maybe if she didn't fight back, he'd come to his senses. Still, one question dominated her thoughts.

 _Merida... what did you do to him?_

That was when the whole church shifted.

There was no other way to describe it. Their surroundings flickered and distorted, like the reflection in a pond being distorted by ripples in the water. It distracted Yuuki long enough that she barely sidestepped another wild swing. Diavel's blade sliced into the end of the nearest pew with a loud thunk.

However, the sword didn't bounce off of it, nor did it trigger a warning. Instead, the corner of the pew flew off, hovering in the air a second before shattering like glass.

The benches should have been immortal objects, yet he'd somehow damaged them. It shouldn't have been possible.

It so distracted Yuuki that she never saw the next blow coming until it was too late. The tip of Diavel's sword bit into her shoulder. It left a deep red gash in its wake.

A few hit points disappeared from her health bar.

"Diavel, wait!"

But the knight didn't respond, instead slapping the flat of the blade against his shield. His rage blinded him to everything around him, including the sudden change of the game's rules. The safe zone was gone. Their attacks could damage any object in the church.

Or any player.

* * *

Asuna was starting to suspect the shadowy figures were leading them on a wild goose chase. They would reach the end of one row of buildings only to turn around and go the other way. Two more emerged and joined with the others, their actions still as mysterious as before.

"Maybe they're on a loop," Lisbeth suggested.

"Maybe."

But that lingering feeling of dread refused to go away, only growing stronger with each circuit the ghouls (the name Lisbeth gave them, much to Asuna's dismay) made. They'd been in Tolbana for over a week now, why would this only start now, the night before they raided the labyrinth? And the way they blended in with their surroundings... it was almost like the outline she saw during their fight with the Nepenthes.

"Hey," Lisbeth said, nudging her. "I think something's happening."

The quartet of ghouls stopped and gathered together as if locked in conversation. A moment later another group of four appeared and joined in the apparent discussion. Asuna's chest grew tighter as she watched.

"What do you think they're talking about?"

"Whatever it is, I don't think it's going to be good."

Suddenly, one of the ghouls pointed across the street. The others turned in unison, facing the same direction. Asuna's nails dug into her palms as she followed their gaze, though she already knew where they were looking.

The church.

"What do you think they want there?" Lisbeth asked.

Asuna couldn't answer, staring at the building in fear. She fumbled to open her menu and began scrolling through her contacts.

"Hey! What's got you so spooked?

Asuna hesitated. She wanted to believe this was a coincidence. The church was one of the most prominent buildings in town despite its disuse. It was a logical landmark. But that did nothing to settle the swarm of butterflies in her stomach.

"A friend of mine's in a meeting there," she said as she typed out a quick message to Yuuki.

"You think it's a setup?"

There it was, the thought Asuna tried to avoid this whole time.

"I... I don't think so," she said. Diavel fancied himself a knight now. He'd been hit by Naeb's death as hard as her, probably more so. He wouldn't... "Besides, she can't be hurt as long as we're in town, right?"

A frown tugged at the corner of Lisbeth's mouth. "Well, yeah. But in her latest update, Argo mentioned some buildings have dungeons underneath them. If someone tricked you into going down there..."

The brown-haired girl trailed off, looking away from Asuna. She didn't want to finish the thought, nor did she need to.

Before either of them could speak, four of the ghouls broke off to the right, bounding along rooftops again. This time, they leaped down into a small alleyway. They were on the ground, only a short distance away. The other four remained still.

"You wanna go check it out?"

Asuna's breath quickened. They might find the answers, but the ghouls would likely see them.

"We're still in town, so whatever they are, they can't hurt us," Lisbeth offered. "Right?"

"Right."

They sprinted across the street, running into the alley. At first, they saw nothing except the backs of a few closed stores, most of the area cast in deep shadows.

Then, as if emerging from the darkness itself, the ghouls appeared.

They'd been waiting for them.

Their robes looked black at first glance, but that wasn't quite right. Instead, they drew in every ounce of light around them, making the wearers look like walking shadows. Their unnaturally lithe bodies were even more pronounced on the ground, a grotesque exaggeration that only enhanced their otherworldly appearance. They held weapons in their hands, just as obscure as the rest of their bodies: a rapier, a broadsword, two pairs of knives.

As Asuna looked at each of them, a cursor appeared above their heads. Each was dark black, indicating the ghouls were NPCs. Moreover, they were enemies far beyond her level.

Something that shouldn't have been allowed within the city.

Before they could turn to run, another stranger jumped down from the rooftop, putting himself between them and the exit.

"Poor little moths," he said. "Drawn to the flame that will consume you."

He wore light armor and wielded a knife that he tossed from hand to hand. In contrast to his calm voice, his body twitched, filled with nervous energy. His face was hidden behind a mask that looked like a burlap sack, with two ragged holes cut out near the top. The eyes that peered out from them were unlike any Asuna had seen before. They were more feral beast than man, and looking into them sent a chill up Asuna's spine.

The cursor over his head was orange. A player. And though it could be for any number of infractions, somehow Asuna knew by meeting his eyes that this man had killed other players before. And, like the ghouls behind them, he shouldn't have been allowed into the town.

He leered at the two of them, the knife arcing between his hands like a pendulum. They were in town, protected by the safety zone there, but that didn't stop the acrid taste of fear in her mouth.

"What's going on here?" Somehow, she kept her voice steady in spite of her mounting terror.

"What's going on here is that they're someone who really wants to meet you. Wants you to join up with them, in fact." He paused, his eyes growing wider as a sadistic grin crossed his lips. His next words made her blood run cold. "And I'm here to escort you safely there, Miss Asuna."

"H-How do you know my name?"

"Guess you could say I'm well connected." He took a single, menacing step forward. "Now we have two options. The first? You surrender and your little friend goes free. The second? We fight. I win. She dies."

"You can't fight in town," Lisbeth said, though her fingers already wrapped around the handle of her mace. "The safe zone prevents that."

"Oh, you're absolutely right. Whatever shall I do?" He opened his menu, stroked a few of the virtual keys. "Three... two... one."

When his countdown ended, the whole city flickered around them like a mirage. Once it settled, the masked man lifted his arm then dragged the edge of his knife along the exposed skin.

It left damage in its wake.

"But... how...?" was all Lisbeth could manage.

"A gift from the Basileus, High Lord of the True Elves. You know, like the fellows behind you." He gestured to the hooded ghouls. "He's their god on Earth, or Aincrad at least, and has the powers to go with it. He helps us, and all he asks in return is that we get what he wants." He pointed the dagger at Asuna. "And what he wants right now... is you."

He stopped. Cackled.

"Make your choice wisely, Miss Asuna, and you can spare at least one life today." He tossed the dagger one more time. "Oh, I forgot to mention that, didn't I? Miss Yuuki? My partner's eliminating that loose end as we speak.

Asuna gasped. Partner? We couldn't mean...

"I'll be kind and give you two minutes to make your choice. A second more, and I'll assume you want to let that bystander die as well."

* * *

Three times. Three times Diavel's strikes broke her defenses. Three times she'd seen bits of her health bar flake away. Three times he'd failed to notice that his strikes damaged her. Or was it that he didn't care? Yuuki had hoped that remaining on the defensive would soothe his fury, but it only added kindling to the fire. She gritted her teeth as the reality of her situation dawned on her.

If she didn't fight back, she'd die here.

 _"You've always been the practical one, and you must be realistic about your situation."_

Her aunt's words echoed once again. Could she strike down Diavel, if it came to that? Did she even have a right to fight back? His whole life stretched out in front of him, if only he escaped the death game. For Yuuki, that would only be a temporary reprieve. Perhaps it would be better if she fell here, gave him the measure of revenge his heart needed.

 _"Don't be selfish, Yuuki."_

She weakly deflected another strike.

 _"You really should sign the papers. Soon you won't be able to!"_

Their swords clashed in another parry. But why? Why keep fighting?

 _"We both know it's only a matter of time."_

To her aunt, she already had one foot in the grave. Maybe she was right. She'd escaped the Nepenthes with Asuna. But now she needed to make a choice.

A flame still burning bright versus flickering embers. Hardly a choice at all.

Her sword drooped.

He took advantage of the opening. His sword tore into her, leaving a huge slash over her chest. She staggered, falling to one knee.

 _"It's not about the time we have, Yuu. It's how we use it."_

Now she heard a different voice, one she desperately missed. The one that always helped her find the right path.

 _"You're giving her the greatest gift of all. Something to live for."_

Diavel charged at her.

Something to live for...

 _"Maybe somewhere in that game, you'll find something to inspire you!"_

As his blade came to bear, Yuuki thought of Asuna. Their fingers woven together, the warmth of her touch. The beauty of her smile and the joy in her laughter. The memories they'd already shared, and the ones that she hoped lay ahead of them. The comfort and joy of being in her presence. The overwhelming desire to see just how brilliantly she would shine.

She'd made promises.

To save Merida's friends.

To save them all.

 _And I'm gonna stay by your side. No matter what._

She was going to keep them.

She deflected Diavel's blow with a ferocity she'd not known before. He staggered backward, struggling to keep his footing.

Her aunt was wrong.

She had something... _someone..._ to live for.

"You're not gonna listen to me," she said, rising back to her feet. "So I'll put my emotions into this sword."

And at that moment, the answer came to her. She didn't have to kill Diavel. She didn't even need to win the fight.

She only needed to land one strike.

He swung. She sidestepped. Their blades clashed. It looked less like a duel and more like a choreographed dance. But his mounting anger made him sloppy. Sword skills gave way to angry slashes. No finesse in his movements. No subtlety in his attack and defense. He followed her eyes to block each strike.

She looked to the upper right. So obvious she feared he might see through it. But Diavel took the bait. He lifted his sword where she looked. She spun her blade at the last second. The strike arced down and to the left. The tip of the blade grazed his leg.

It was enough. Diavel's eyes grew wide, the fury ebbing.

"Wait. How did you-"

Yuuki sighed and lowered her weapon. "That's what I've been trying to tell you. Something happened. The safe zone's gone. We're doing damage!"

Diavel stared at the ruined church as though emerging from a deep slumber. "We did all this?"

"Yeah." Yuuki blanched. "Well, mostly you."

"But how-"

He never finished the question.

She heard the zip of the arrow just before it flew past her ear. A split second before it pierced Diavel's shoulder and threw him to the ground. His sword and shield clattered to the ground, the single blow eradicating a third of his life bar.

"Diavel!"

She darted to his side.

"An... ambush." He stared at her, unblinking.

"But who could've known about our meeting?"

The arrow didn't fade away, and Diavel made no motion to remove it.

He didn't move at all.

"You need to get up," Yuuki said, panic bubbling up in her voice. "We need to get out of here!"

"I can't move," he said. "Paralysis poison."

Two more bowstrings twanged. Yuuki scrambled for Diavel's lost shield, narrowly deflecting the arrows aimed at them.

"Can't be players," Diavel said. "Players can't use bows."

"Of course humans can't wield our sacred weapons," a cold voice called out. A quartet of cloaked figures dropped to the ground from their hiding places in the vaulted ceiling. One drew back his hood to reveal golden skin, greenish blond hair and pointed ears. At their appearance, Skofnung's blade began to glow with a pale purple light.

"Elves? On the first floor?" Diavel said. "That doesn't make any sense."

"We are the True Elves," the apparent leader said. "It is our sworn duty to remove the taint of humanity from Aincrad and restore the rightful ruler of this world.

As the enemy cursors lit up over them, Yuuki's eyes went wide. Each had two health bars, their levels far beyond any other monster they'd encountered so far.

"I don't have any antidote crystals," The panic rose in Yuuki's voice. "How long will it take for the poison to wear off?"

"A few minutes. Time you don't have."

The answer came not from Diavel, but from a deep, resonate voice that boomed through the church like a fire and brimstone preacher. At first, she saw only the two glowing red eyes, pinpoints that flared in the darkness. As he emerged from behind the elves, she saw his distinctive skull mask. He was tall and thin, walking with a jerky motion that made him look like a marionette.

Unlike the elves, he was a player.

"Were my partner here, he might try to bargain. Offer you the chance to cut a deal and save your lives. Then he'd renege at the last second, savoring the betrayal as he watched the life drain from your eyes. I place no value in such games. Draven has ordered that you are to be eliminated, and I will follow that command."

"Who are you?" Yuuki stepped closer to Diavel, guarding him against all the new arrivals.

"Ah, I hear it in your voice. Fear. True fear, the kind Kayaba could only dream to match. Delectable. I will enjoy this."

"I'll stop you."

"You will try. But you will fail."

He moved closer, drawing his own bright red sword.

"I am Balin of the Charnel Hounds. I, along with my True Elf allies, challenge you, Doraku. Or should I call you Yuuki?"

She leveled Skofnung, but the shield felt clumsy in her other hand.

"They're too strong," Diavel said. "Run while you can."

"No. I made a promise that I was gonna keep everyone safe, and I will. That includes you, Diavel." She stared back at Balin. "I accept!"

"Excellent. The stage is set." He pointed his sword and the elven arches notched their bows. The red eyes of his mask burned even brighter. "It's showtime!"

* * *

 _A/N - Whew. This chapter touched on some heavier stuff, but if I can pat myself on the back for a line or two, I'm really pleased with some of the writing in this chapter. I really wanted to jump back into Yuuki's POV and show that she's still struggling with some of the same fears she grappled with during the Nepenthe battle, as well as moving between Asuna and Yuuki forward. I'm also thrilled to have Liz in the mix, as she's a character who is a lot of fun to write. And in case you hadn't already guessed it, we MIGHT know Balin and Agravain under different names from the original story._

 _I'm hopeful I can finish the next chapter in a similarly short time span as the first "arc" of Reconfiguration nears its end and I start showing a few more of my cards. Remember how I said Chapter Eight was table setting? Chapter Nine's the appetizer and now I have to focus on delivering that main course of action, plot reveals and, of course, setting up more of the relationship at the heart of this story._

 _As always, I'd love to hear your thoughts so hit me up with comments, questions or whatever else you feel like sharing. And not to sound like a podcaster here, but if you enjoy the story, share it with a friend! I'm having a lot of fun with this story and would love to keep building its audience!_


	10. Chapter 10

He felt the eyes boring into the back of his head like pinpricks of heat. He finished the cinnamon roll anyway, licking the frosting from his bony fingers. He appreciated the verisimilitude of that detail. After all, a cinnamon roll that left no mess in its wake wouldn't be a cinnamon roll at all! He took a few more steps, savoring the subtlety of the flavor compared to the tripe here on the first floor. That done, he spun on his heel and walked backwards to face the shortest member of the entourage.

He barely stood five feet tall, the robe billowing out as they hung off his bony frame. He looked, the tall man decided, like someone appointed a Jawa as a cardinal in the Roman Catholic church. He filed that away on the list of ways to tease him, a list numbering in the thousands. Despite his diminutive size, however, he carried himself like a giant. Perhaps a remnant of the avatar he lost to that damned mirror, and a warning to everyone that they tried his patience at their own peril.

Everyone, the tall man thought, save him.

"You're dying to say something, I can tell. So fire away."

"Why are you _eating_ at a time like this?"

"Breakfast's the most important meal of the day."

"The sun just went down."

"And yet, I only just woke up from my nap. Thus, breakfast!"

"It's shameful."

"The term you're looking for," the tall man replied, one finger in the air, "Is crepuscular. It's a science-y term that means active at dusk and dawn. If it works for some of the most feared predators in the animal kingdom, it should work just fine for me."

"That's your excuse for sleeping through the most meaningful parts of the day?"

"No, of course not! My excuse for _that_ is if I wandered around during daylight hours, I'd have to deal with people. Yuck. And another thing-"

His head slammed hard into what felt like a stone wall. It turned out to be the arm of the third member of their group, the only woman among them. She'd frozen in place, arm extended in a signal to stop. Well, it worked, if not in the way she intended.

"Could've told me she was doing that, little brother."

"Yes, but letting you find out on your own was more fun."

"Eh. Fair enough." He turned around and peered at the face hidden beneath the tattered cloak. "Tell me, my dear. What are we stopping for?"

"The air here is rife with the stench of fallen elves. A dozen at least. Maybe more."

"You're sure?"

Her head tilted to one side. "Were I not, I would have kept moving and remained silent."

"Yeah yeah, fair enough." Her tone carried neither malice nor sarcasm, which made her all the more frustrating in moments like this. "Don't imagine they're here to sample the local cuisine, either."

"Fallen elves find human food beneath them, unfit even to feed to their wolves." She paused, pointed to the church in the middle of town. "The largest contingent is there, while a smaller force is further away."

The tall man put one hand to his temple, rubbing it lightly. The other activated his menu, scrolled through a few options. "Huh. Would you look at that? Miss Asuna is in the alley over there, and Miss Yuuki is in the church. Both of 'em with another player. These two just can't stay out of trouble, can they?"

"It's a sign they're driven," the boy replied. "Quite impressive, if you ask me."

"Oh. So you're _impressed_ by them, hmmmm?"

"If you continue that line of thought in the way I suspect you might," he replied, "I will provide you a very quick exit from the game."

"That's a horrible thing to say to your big brother."

The woman shook her head. "Your squabble can wait. We need to formulate a plan of attack to rescue and recover Miss Asuna and Miss Yuuki. Unfortunately, I fear we won't be able to remain inconspicuous this time."

"Guess not, huh? Tell you what, my brother and I will head to the church. Think you can handle the alleyway and bailing out Brave Fencer Musashi?"

Her head tilted again. "You mean Miss Asuna, correct?"

"Forgive him. He's a fount of pointless references from our world."

"Very well. In any event, I believe I can protect Miss Asuna and her friend."

"Splendid. Let's avoid the use of lethal force against the Charnel Hounds unless absolutely necessary." He noticed the woman's body tense up. "The fallen elves, on the other hand? They're fair game."

"Excellent."

"There's no avoiding it." his brother said. "We'll have to take the pair of them with us this time. Their friends, too. If the Charnel Hounds are targeting them, towns won't be safe anymore. I only hope they opt to go with us."

For the first time, the tall man's voice grew serious. "Given the alternative? I'm not sure they've been left much of a choice."

* * *

From her earliest fights in the labyrinth to the onslaught of the Nepenthes, Asuna learned that keen strategy won out over raw power almost every time. With the proper plan, a low-level player could overcome almost anything. The problem? She had two minutes to devise one.

 _Fifteen._

They didn't need to win. She and Lisbeth only needed to escape the alley, outrun their enemies and meet up with Yuuki in the church. That came with its own risks. The ghouls (or elves as the masked man had called them) were fast, with levels so far past their own that a single strike might prove deadly.

 _Thirty._

It would be easier if one of them carried a shield. That, at least, might offer them some protection in the coming fight. Even a small buffer against the superior weapons of their enemies could buy them valuable time.

 _Forty-five._

She cast an envious glance at the rapier one of the elves brandished at them. If she could somehow disarm him and recover the weapon, that might give them an actual advantage. She'd practiced techniques for just that, targeting an opponent's hand or whipping the weapon around fast enough to pry it from their grip. But those experiments came against training dummies, not live opponents.

 _Sixty._

"One minute left," the masked man said, a tremor of excitement laced in his words. He wanted this fight.

"I really hope," Lisbeth said under her breath as she leaned closer, "You're got a plan."

"I'm working on it."

"Work faster."

 _Seventy-five._

Something nagged at her, a small but important detail lost in the fear and panic. She groped for it, trying to ignore the flawless simulation of cold sweat, the way her hand shook, the quickening of her breath. The pounding of her heart thrummed in her ears like a dubstep beat. She sacrificed valuable seconds, trying to remember that elusive tidbit that might help them.

 _Ninety._

Her thoughts went to the Basileus instead. _"And what he wants right now... is you."_ But why? She wasn't special, especially compared to other players in the game. Why would he devote so many resources to her capture? Yet the thought of him sent dread creeping down her spine, gripping her stomach like a vice. If he allied with people like the masked man, she wanted nothing to do with him, even if it meant he'd protect her.

 _One hundred and five._

Wait! That was it. The detail she'd been missing. She shifted to the right, putting herself between Lisbeth and the elves. As soon as she stepped into their line of sight, the elves froze. Each of them lowered their weapons. Just as she suspected!

They had a shield after all.

"Whatever happens," she whispered to Lisbeth, "Stay close to me."

"Huh?"

 _One twenty._

"Time's up!"

"Your orders, Lord Agravain?"

He sighed dramatically, taking his eyes off Asuna just long enough.

"Let her response first!" He turned his attention back to her. "So what's your-"

Her answer came by shoving Lisbeth behind her and drawing her sword. Even with her weapon at the ready, the elves remained rooted in place.

In other words, static targets.

The elven fencer didn't even flinch as her blade lashed out and struck his hand. The rapier twirled high in the air, knocked free by her strike. Asuna sheathed her Wind Fleuret and snatched the weapon before it hit the ground.

She swung the newly acquired weapon just in time to block a strike from the masked man, Agravain. Though her rapier had far greater range than his knife, his strikes were strong. Erratic, but strong.

No, not erratic. He was trying to draw her away from Lisbeth so the elves could attack.

"You ruined my fun!" She pushed aside another angry lunge. "Spoilers, I was going to kill her anyway. It would have been beautiful! The relief fading from her face as the knife plunged in. The look on your face as you watched her die. I'm gonna have to find a new way to make this entertaining!"

Asuna held her ground. The tip of his knife came perilously close. The desperate strength and unpredictable patterns of his strikes negated Asuna's speed advantage. She needed to attack the elves. To do that, she needed an opening.

"It's over, princess!" He stabbed wildly. Somehow, Asuna blocked.

Then the head of a heavy mace arced past Asuna and slammed into Agravain's gut. A second shot connected with his jaw. While it took a fraction of his health bar, it dazed the masked man. She glanced over her shoulder to see Lisbeth grinning back at her.

"It's gonna take a little time for him to shake that off. Take out our spectators, will you?"

Asuna charged forward. Yet again, the elves didn't lift their weapons to defend, lest they harm their target. That was the only opening Asuna needed. Her battles in Aincrad honed her reflexes, making her a red and white blur as she unleashed a quick series of Linears. The stolen weapon made those quick strikes count, reducing two of the high level monsters to clouds of polygons in short order.

"No!" Agravain screeched as he recovered, charging past Lisbeth and toward Asuna. She sidestepped the rushed strike and his knife plunged into the remaining armed elf. The monster started to recoil, then froze in place. An icon flared to life over its head.

"He's got a paralysis poison on his knife," Lisbeth cried out as she dashed over, swinging her mace at Agravain. "Be careful!"

Asuna nodded, spinning around to see the elf whose weapon she'd stolen. She couldn't even call the expression he gave her a blank stare. He looked like a statue, utterly devoid of confusion or anger. None of the sparks of life she'd seen in the eyes of Hazel or Agatha could be found there. It removed any hesitation as she plunged the sword into the elf's gut.

One paralyzed and three eliminated, she thought as she spun around.

Just in time to see Agravain score a glancing blow on Lisbeth's shoulder.

Though it only grazed her, the strike lopped off a quarter of her HP. Like the elf before her, Lisbeth froze in mid-dodge. Only her eyes moved, going from Agravain to Asuna then back again.

Agravain cackled. Spun the dagger in his hand.

Asuna charged, sword leading the way.

He swung the knife for Lisbeth's chest.

Her blade screamed toward him.

Closer.

Closer.

Somehow, she struck first.

The first blow batted his strike aside. The second part of the sword skill swung the rapier upward, slashing over his chest, skating across the mask. The blow opened an angry slash across his chest as she canceled the skill. The last arc of the strike obliterated the durability of the mask. The point of the blade stopped inches from his throat.

As polygons fluttered in the air around him, Asuna saw Agravain's face. Rough stubble covered his chin and upper lip, wild unkempt hair spilling out around his eyes. The eyes that looked crazed while framed by the mask were now scared and desperate. He looked less like a wild beast and more like terrified prey.

He couldn't have been more than a few years older than Asuna.

"I-I yield!" He looked past her, seemingly to the remaining elf. "Stand down!"

Only now did Asuna look up at his health bar.

The blow dipped his HP into the red.

If she hadn't thought to cancel the sword skill, she would have killed him.

"Please," he said, his voice weak. "Don't."

Her hand trembled in fury.

A moment ago, he'd reveled in the thought of killing Lisbeth. Did he deserve mercy?

Without meaning to, she inched the blade forward The tip rested at this exposed throat.

She wanted to escape with Lisbeth.

She wanted to help Yuuki.

She wanted to live.

She took in a deep breath, tightened her grip on the hilt.

Then she pulled the sword back, panic creeping in.

Why would he need to order the paralyzed elf to stand down?

"Asuna!"

Lisbeth's warning came too late.

She didn't know about the second dagger until it pierced her arm. System warnings swarmed her field of vision. While the strike barely took off any HP, the same paralysis toxin took hold over her. She couldn't move, even as Agravain pushed the sword away with his knife.

Beside her, two more elves jumped down from the roof. One used a crystal to revive their paralyzed ally. The trio looked to Lisbeth, but Agravain waved them off. He glared at Asuna, the dangerous wildness back in his eyes.

"She who hesitates is lost." He sneered, then flashed a sick grin as he turned to Lisbeth. "And in this case, you lose a friend. Someone needs to teach you a lesson about respect, princess. And you just volunteered her for the job!"

* * *

 _"One of these days, Yuu, you need to learn to think before you act."_

As arrows plunked off the shield while she dragged Diavel's prone form behind one of the pews, Yuuki had to concede her sister had a point.

She'd accepted the challenge from Balin without much of a plan. The first few exchanges with the masked swordsman, combined with a handful of volleys from the archers, convinced her she couldn't last long in a fight if she needed to protect Diavel at the same time.

Balin hadn't attacked when she took hold of him, but neither did he order the archers to stop. From the way he kept taunting her, it was less about honor and more an extension of his taunting. He swore he'd eliminate Diavel as soon as he finished her off. There was some prating about fear and the futility of her actions, but Yuuki did her best to tune him out.

Finally, she'd tucked Diavel out of reach behind one of the pews, out of the sightlines of the archers.

"Doraku..." he said, voice weak.

"Don't even think about asking me to leave you again," she said.

A few arrows slapped against the shield.

"The paralysis could last for up to fifteen minutes. Maybe more."

Yuuki swung the shield to block another arrow, then smiled at him. "If you don't wanna wait, I'll drag you out of here after I beat these guys."

He said something else, but Yuuki didn't hear. She'd already dashed out back toward Balin.

Their swords clashed. He tried to maneuver her shield arm away from the archers, but she held the speed advantage over him, able to counter each move and hold her position. The taunts continued as well, but Yuuki paid them little heed. She focused on something else instead.

Parry. Sidestep. Arrow.

With Diavel, she'd felt the desperate rage behind his attacks, even if she didn't understand it. The longer she fought Balin, his confidence flagged. The attacks came with almost mechanical predictability, the pattern of a boss from a sidescroller instead of a flesh and blood opponent. Even his taunts lost their venom as the duel continued.

Parry. Sidestep. Arrow.

"Why are you doing this?"

"Because our master requested your friend," Balin said. "And that we remove any unnecessary entanglements." Those words came with greater relish than any other.

He meant Asuna, he must have.

Parry, barely in time. Sidestep, sloppy. Arrow whizzed past, a near miss.

Was one of his allies, perhaps the one he'd spoke of earlier, out looking for her?

Had they already captured her?

"What do you want with Asuna?"

Parry. Sidestep. Arrow.

"The Basileus wants us to keep her safe," he said. The panic welling up in Yuuki's voice seemed to energize him. "Something you've failed to do.

Parry. Sidestep. Arrow.

"Agravain has likely already captured her. You have nothing left to fight for!"

Parry. Sidestep. Arrow.

"How long do you think you can keep this up?"

Yuuki's eyes narrowed.

All that high-end gear and he'd never learned more than a basic sword skill. That made it easy to get the timing down.

"Actually? I think I'm about done now."

When he lashed out with yet another Horizontal, she tossed the shield at him. He batted it aside as she charged forward. He swung wildly, not even a sword skill. She dropped to her knees, sliding under the strike. The nearest elf failed to compensate for the move. His arrow whizzed high above her, plinking into the wall. They

The elf had time to react as Yuuki jumped back to her feet and slashed. Skofnung's blade flared to life just before impact. The strike shattered her opponent like glass with a single hit.

She hadn't expected that. Nor was she going to complain. Their weapons useless at close range, the elves tried to switch to melee weapons.

Yuuki never gave them the chance.

The elves dispatched, she turned her full attention back to Balin.

"Impressive," he said. "But it won't matter. You stare death itself in the face."

Yuuki took in a deep breath. "I'm already used to it."

She smiled at everything, but she held onto that anger in a place no one else would ever see. Every trip to the doctor, every heart-wrenching diagnosis. Every tear she never let her family see. Everyone she lost. The taunts of Balin added on top.

Every ounce of that pain she now fed into her sword and unleashed it on her enemy.

He struck faster this time. Yuuki blocked each strike with ease. This time, she felt something behind the desperate strikes that hadn't been there before. His earlier precision had been replaced by wild strikes, abandoning even his most basic skills. Behind it all, she felt only one thing.

Desperation.

He'd spoken of fear, and that emotion fueled him. He didn't want to just defeat his opponents, he wanted to see the terror in their eyes. The stronger gear, the higher levels, he'd come to rely on those advantages to psyche out his enemies. It made him complacent. He used the most basic sword skill alone. He probably hadn't developed any of his other abilities either.

Still, he wasn't that much slower than her. His reflexes were sound. If he learned the ebb and flow of a duel, complemented his strength by learning new sword skills, he'd be a formidable opponent.

And the longer their duel went, she felt something else underlying the desperation. Perhaps it was her imagination, but it felt agonizingly familiar. The whisper of pain.

Their swords crossed and she stared into the eyes of the mask, desperate to reach the human underneath.

"Don't you want to go home?"

"You wouldn't understand!" He pushed her away, but his voice cracked. "You're just another spoiled rich kid who doesn't _need_ this game!"

"And that gives you the right to hurt others?"

"I don't owe you any answers!"

The fact that Yuuki still wanted them surprised even herself.

But they could wait until their battle ended.

Yet another Horizontal. This time, Yuuki feinted to the left, then flipped away from a follow up strike. Lifting her sword into the air, she charged her own sword skill.

The Sonic Leap was perfectly timed, catching Balin off guard and slashing across his chest. He screamed as the strike carved away HP, dipping into the red as he dropped to his knees.

It stopped with a single hit point remaining.

He stared at her through the mask, the red light dimming.

"How?"

"First thing I did in the game was develop my Mercy skill," Yuuki replied. "And attached it to one of my sword skills. That way, if I ever ended up fighting another player, I could beat them _without_ killing them."

"Mercy." Balin spat the word. " _You_ think you're better than me."

"No." Yuuki's brow furrowed. "I just think there's enough pain in the world... and for both of us... without causing any more."

He rose to his feet slowly and stared at her. "You don't know anything about me or my pain."

Yuuki lowered her sword. "I know that it shouldn't define you."

He looked to his sword, then to his own chest. For a brief, horrible second, Yuuki feared he might jab himself with the blade. Instead, he used it to point behind her.

"Your mercy has cost you dearly."

She chanced a look. Four more elven archers had entered through a broken stain glass window while she was caught up in the duel. But their arrows weren't trained on her.

They were aimed at the pew Diavel lay behind.

Balin opened his menu, pulled out a healing crystal activated it, his health recovering instantly. "Drop your weapon or he dies."

"Well, that's not very friendly, now is it?"

They both turned toward the door into the church. Two newcomers stood there, swallowed by maroon robes that hung off their scrawny forms. The taller of the two brandished a weapon.

Yuuki felt a lot less confident when she saw it was only a twig with a few leaves still attached.

"Now then," he said, "Either you let Miss Yuuki and Mister Diavel go, or my brother and I might just lose our temper."

* * *

Asuna's body refused to respond to her commands. Only her eyes resisted the toxin, watching as Agravain moved closer to her. One of the elves healed him as he brandished his blade, a nasty looking serrated knife. He swung it at her face, the arc mimicking the strike she'd made on him moments earlier. She couldn't even flinch. He held the knife her a second before pulling it back, staring at it as one might a lover.

"This was my first knife in Sword Art Online," Agravain said. "The first one I used to kill another player. It's special. Weak compared to my usual weapon, but that's the beauty of the poison. can use this and take my time and there's nothing your friend can do about it. A little stab here, a quick cut there. Before you know it, she's gone. And you have to watch every second of it, princess. But don't worry, we'll keep you safe for the Basilius."

"What does he want with me?"

"I don't ask questions. Hell, I've never even seen him before." He tapped the flat of the knife against his cheek. "You know, I still owe you for taking my mask. Oh, I know! I'll hack off your hands! The Basileus wants you alive, but he never said you needed to be intact. But for now... I'll let you listen to her screams."

"Lisbeth..." Asuna kept struggling, the only response more system warnings. "I'm sorry I dragged you into this."

"Awww, isn't that sweet?" His eyes narrowed, a scowl darkening his face. "I _hate_ sweet things."

He crept closer to Lisbeth, his knife at the ready.

"You know, I've always wondered what would happen if I took someone's eyes," he said, stalking closer. "If it blinds you, you won't even know when the strikes are coming!"

He drew the knife level with Lisbeth's eyes.

The tip of the blade crept closer.

He cackled.

Then, without warning, Agravain flew across the alley.

Green light enveloped both she and Lisbeth. The system warnings vanished.

"You can move now!"

Their savior faded into view as she lowered her hood. Black and purple heavy armor covered tan skin, a curved sword in one hand and a kite shield in the other. Purple hair framed her delicate features, long pointed ears peeking out on either side. Another elf, every bit as graceful as the others were grotesque.

She stepped in front of Asuna and Lisbeth and glared at Agravain and his allies, hatred simmering in her eyes.

"Uh." Lisbeth jabbed Asuna with her elbow. "This... isn't your friend, is it?"

"Ally of the False King," the elf said, "I will grant you mercy your ilk denied my people. Retreat now, or you will fall by my hand."

"A Dark Elf?" Agravain snapped his head to one side. "Thought we killed all of you."

"We are far more resilient than you know. And as long as the heart of a single one of my people still beats, we will live on. But enough talk."

"Agreed," Agravain snarled. "Hell with Draven and what he asked. Kill _all_ of them!"

The nearest elf balked at the command. "But the Basileus-"

Without turning to face him, Agravain swung his dagger into the elf's throat. He shattered instantly.

"Kill them!"

One of the ghouls readied his bow.

The dark elf was faster.

She lifted her hood and vanished one again. An instant later, she reappeared in front of him, thrusting her blade through his chest. The final elf charged, but she parried the strike with her shield and dispatched him just as quickly.

In the confusion, Agravain charged forward, knife angling for Asuna. She deflected the strike with ease.

That was all the time the elf needed to reach them once again, clashing blades with the knife-wielder.

"Sloppy. Amateurish, even." She scowled, deflected another attack. "The False King granted you great power, but you lack the wisdom to use it."

"All I need it one hit, you-"

She sidestepped another wild attack, then swung her sword.

Agravain cried out.

His knife, along with the hand holding it, landed several feet away.

"I made a vow that I would not kill any humans, even a monster like yourself." She took a step back, clearly ready to continue the fight if he pressed the issue. "Run like the dog you are. Tell your master that Kizmel of the Royal Guard will see to it that he pays for every life he's taken."

Agravain sneered, but took a step back and opened his menu to pull a teleport crystal from his inventory. An instant later, he vanished in a flash of red light.

Their enemies gone, the elf spun around. The fierce look vanished, replaced by one of genuine compassion.

"Are either of you injured?"

"It could've been a lot worse," Asuna said. Then her eyes widened. "But Yuuki-"

"Fear not. My allies went to her aid, even as they sent me to help you."

"Allies... elves like you?" Asuna asked.

"No." She paused. "There are something else entirely. Something not of this world."

* * *

Balin stared at the two cloaked men in silence. For a moment, Yuuki thought the fearsome warrior might burst into laughter.

"This is none of your concern," he finally said. "I'll give you the chance to leave before we slaughter you as well."

The taller man sighed and pulled down the hood of his robe. He was gaunt, with sharp, angular features. Small glasses perched atop a long thin nose, while ears a little thicker and blunter than the elves burst through his mane of flame-red hair.

"Are we really gonna do this?"

Balin pointed. The archers changed targets, from Diavel to the two newcomers.

"I warned you."

"Oh well. Gave y'all a chance." The tall man lifted the branch the same way one might a sword.

"Fire."

The elven archers loosed their arrows.

About a foot away from the strangers, they slammed hard into the air itself and fell harmlessly to the floor.

"Funny choice of words there, Skull Man. But lemme show you how it's really done." A series of circles appeared around him. " _Ek fleygja þrír geirr muspilli!_ "

Three shafts of flame appeared in front of him, floated for a moment, then shot forward like rockets. Three elves were engulfed, lasting only a few seconds before they shattered.

Magic. Yuuki could hardly believe her eyes. Whoever he was, he'd just used magic. She was too shocked to do much of anything except watch.

The last of the warriors changed to a rapier and charged forward. In response, the shorter of the two men drew a broadsword, one almost as large as himself. Then, to Yuuki's amazement, four translucent wings emerged from his back. The boy took to the skies.

"Aren't you glad I saved you one, little brother?"

"Must you always be this tiresome?"

The remaining elf stared, even more confused than Yuuki. He was a mere AI, programmed to react to different scenarios. None of them included magic or flying opponents. The boy didn't leave him much time to figure it out, swirling around him a few times before sweeping down with the blade. It cleaved the elf in two as though it was a boar just outside the Town of Beginnings. He landed next to the other man with a satisfied smirk.

Balin's mask hid his reaction to all of this. However, the way he backpedaled told the story.

"So, um. Balin, was it? Oh, there's no need to be formal, we're all friends here! Forget the silly little aliases. It's XaXa, right?"

Balin almost dropped his sword.

The taller man grinned, then opened his menu. "Now, I haven't had the chance to test what this magic system does to _players_ in this game. Under normal circumstances, I wouldn't want to test it all willy nilly, what with the hardcore permadeath factor. At the same time..." He looked at his menu again. His smile faded. "Looks like you've killed seven players and were looking to add two more. So I might be willing to make an exception if you try anything stupid."

He took another step forward. "However, I understand the MMO Today guild has started using the prisons in Blackiron Palace to hold onto people like you, just like they were supposed to the original version of the game. That seems like a good place for you to cool off until we clear the game."

Before he could answer, a flash of red light appeared next to Balin.

"I'm afraid I can't let you do that."

The light resolved into an imposing figure, golden armor gleaming even in the pale candlelight of the church. They too wore a mask, this one in the form of a red and black lion.

Yuuki, the closest to the new arrival, leveled her sword.

"A tempting offer. Your skills exceed anyone I've seen in the game so far, excluding those who aren't playing by the rules." He looked briefly to the two cloaked brothers. "I believe you, of all the other players in Sword Art Online, would prove to be a worthy rival."

"Huh, interesting." The tall man frowned. "Can't get a reading on you. Guess that means you're using a GM account too."

"Very perceptive."

"If you're ready to fight," Yuuki said, "then so am I."

The lion masked player laughed. "But the disparity between our levels would make it far too short a fight to savor. But I'm curious just how brightly you'll shine with time to grow. Yes, this is truly a _game_ now. Yuuki, was it?"

She nodded.

"I am Draven, lord of the Charnel Hounds. I look forward to our future duel. Truly, it will be a battle to shake the pillars of heaven!"

"Eh, that sounds all fine and good. Too bad you're going down here, Mr. Draven." The tall man raised his wand again, repeating the words before flames shot out at Draven. He stepped in front of Balin.

The flames struck him and did nothing... save triggering an Immortal Object warning above his head.

"What the...?" the tall man said.

"Did you think you were the only one who could hack the system? Or that I'd come here unprepared? But I do thank you for letting me know there's another GM account active. The Basileus will be interested in this development. When the time is right, I'll be more than happy to engage all of you on a level playing field. Come, Balin."

The swordsman nodded, glaring at Yuuki before the two vanished in a flash of crimson light.

"Um."

In all the chaos, Yuuki had almost forgotten about Diavel, who slowly rose back to his feet.

"What just happened?"

"A lot!" the tall man replied.

Seeing him back on his feet, Yuuki let out a sigh of relief. The feeling didn't stay long, however. Fear gripped her as she remembered what Balin had said during their duel.

 _"Agravain has likely already captured her. You have nothing left to fight for!"_

"Asuna!" She spun toward the entrance.

As if on cue, the doors of the church flew open and Asuna entered, flanked by two strangers.

She had no time to process the new arrivals, either. Upon seeing her, the fencer dashed over and threw her arms around Yuuki, locking her into a tight embrace.

And for a moment, nothing else mattered.

Not the battles, not the strangers, not even the game itself. She curled her arms around Asuna and pulled her close, fingers digging into her friend's skin to prove she was really there.

"You're okay," Asuna said, her voice wavering. "I was so scared... I thought you... that I might..." She trailed off and buried her face in Yuuki's shoulder.

Yuuki couldn't find her voice. She'd been scared as well, terrified that she might lose someone else without having the chance to say goodbye. The mere thought of losing Asuna felt like a needle driven directly into her heart. Now in her arms, Yuuki felt safer than she ever had in her life and wanted nothing more than to savor the moment, prolong it as long as she could. In part to hide the deep blush she undoubtedly boasted now.

"Told you that you were gonna have a hard time getting rid of me," she finally managed.

Someone cleared their throat, and Yuuki remembered they were in a room full of others, mostly strangers, and only moments removed from a major battle. Reluctantly she pulled away, though Asuna grabbed hold of her hand and held tight.

Yuuki didn't mind at all.

"Oh, nice of you to show up after we did all the hard work and the mastermind got away." The tall man looked to one of the strangers who arrived with Asuna. An elf, of all things! "I guess this means your mission went well too, huh Kizzie?"

"My name is Kizmel, Lord Mortimer." She grimaced. "As I've told you multiple times. And as you can no doubt see, I have saved Miss Asuna and her companion. Miss... Lisbeth, I believe it was?"

"Yes." Lisbeth blinked, her attention locked on the space just above Kizmel's head. "Am I the only one who's noticed she has a _monster cursor_ over her head?"

The elf cocked her head to one side in confusion.

"Very astute of you, ma'am!" The man she called Mortimer walked over and put an arm across the elf's shoulders, which she promptly pushed away. "Pirotess here did indeed come included with the Aincrad playset, but it's really harsh to call her a monster."

"But she's not real," Lisbeth replied.

"She's as real as any of us in Sword Art Online, so let's not kill the magic and potentially break the dark elf, okay?"

"And what are you, exactly?" Diavel asked, still giving the trio a wary look.

"People!" He reached up and touched one of his long ears. "Well, technically, I guess we're Salamanders. Name's Mortimer, and this is my brother, Eugene."

The other Salamander, who couldn't have been more than fourteen years old, regarded the others with a stern nod.

"You used magic," Diavel said. "But there's no magic in Sword Art Online. And you! You were flying!"

"There's no time to go into all the details, but here's the short version. These avatars are from another game using the SAO engine, one my brother and I helped to test. Since we weren't supposed to be here in the first place, no one thought to limit our access. They've been super handy so far.

"The forest with the Nepenthes!" Asuna said. "You were the ones who helped us."

"Ten points to Gryffindor! Though the two of you did a great job of ignoring my message and stepping into it, didn't you?" Mortimer frowned. "And something tells me the Charnel Hounds aren't gonna just forget about you, either."

"No," Asuna said. Yuuki couldn't help but notice the look of consternation at Mortimer's words. "They definitely won't.

"Which means the Basileus might send more dangerous enemies against all of us," Eugene added, his tone deadly serious in contrast to his brother's. "More players could get caught up in the crossfire. More deaths would be inevitable."

"And you know what that means, right?"

Asuna, Yuuki, Diavel, and Lisbeth all looked at one another in confusion before they turned back to Mortimer.

"You have no idea how long I've wanted to say this!" He grinned and extended a hand. "Come with us if you want to live!"

* * *

 _A/N - Whew. This chapter was kind of a marathon and I'd be lying if I said I was totally satisfied with it. At the same time, there comes a certain point where you have to stop picking at the story, lest you never get the thing posted. Clearly there was a ton of plot work to be done, introducing our three mystery cloaked figures, pushing through two major action sequences and setting up the next steps between Asuna and Yuuki by the end. The action scenes, in particular, were daunting, so I decided to experiment a little with how I approached them. I wish I'd established Yuuki's new sword a little bit more, but the idea of how this scene would play out wasn't fully formed at the time. As is, I feel like the fallen elves suffer from some pretty major Lowered Monster Difficulty, but sometimes you have to cheat when you write yourself into a corner._

 _One of the great gifts of doing fan fiction is finding an element of the story that's wide open for interpretation, and in this case, it's the Salamander strategist, Mortimer. We know nothing about him beyond his relationship to Eugene, and the idea of making him a genre-savvy mix of Shiro from Log Horizon and Raven from Tales of Vesperia felt unexpected yet too good to pass up. Plus nothing helps writer's block like having a smart ass in the cast, and I'm now blessed with both he and Lisbeth to fulfill that role. I hope everyone has as much fun reading him as I do writing him. There's still more to be revealed with him too... there are a couple of important plot roles he's going to serve in going forward._

 _I hope to have the next chapter a little faster, as it will deal with the aftermath of what happened and give an idea of where things are going now that Asuna and Yuuki are on a vastly different path. Romantic and character development moments are a lot easier for me to write, after all!_


	11. Chapter 11

The trees on the eighth floor of Aincrad reminded Yuuki of a Japanese zelkova she'd been staring at it longingly the day her life changed.

It stood across the street, teasing her as she peered from the living room window, its broad, strong limbs begging to be climbed. Yuuki worked out a strategy, one she'd likely never get to execute. The knot on the front of the tree? A perfect foothold. A little jump from there and she could latch onto the lowest branch. From there she'd pull herself up and leap to the thickest branch. It looked sturdy enough to hold her weight, almost all the way to the end. Then she could shout down at Aiko and challenge her to make the trip faster.

Which, inevitably, she would.

That day, her twin sister sprawled across the living room floor, pencil meeting paper in a flurry of lead and imagination. Another knight, this one facing off against a menacing three headed dragon. Yuuki leaned over and stared at the drawing, pursing her lips as she studied the image.

"Which one's the boss?"

"Huh?" Aiko didn't even look away from the paper.

"Which one of the heads is in charge?" Yuuki had watched every Godzilla movie with Papa and knew even the mighty King Ghidorah had a dominant head.

"Hmmm." Now Aiko paused, tapping the pencil against her cheek. "The middle one's way too obvious, isn't it?" She pointed to the dragon's left head. "She's breathing fire, so I think it's her."

"Not because you're left handed?"

Aiko grinned. "That too!"

Yuuki stared at the drawing and smooshed her cheeks against her palms. "I wish I could draw like you, Aiko."

It wasn't true, not entirely. While Yuuki loved to watch her sister turned blank paper into worlds she drew from her own imagination, Yuuki longed to experience the adventure for herself. Adventures like climbing the zelkova or playing hide and seek in the park. Adventures she couldn't participate in anymore.

It wasn't long after the thought hit her that Papa's voice rang out through the small house.

"Found it!"

He emerged from the hallway with a weathered box in his hands. He'd been gone for a little while in search of the mystery box, only promising Yuuki that it was something she'd love. But he carried it right past her, making a beeline for the television. Out came a device Yuuki didn't recognize.

Maybe because it was old. Time dulled its vibrant red to a dark maroon, while the white sections had yellowed with age. Papa fidgeted with cables next, attaching one to the outlet and another into the television. A third cable went into the front and he unrolled what looked like a small remote control and handed it to her.

"What is this?"

"This," he announced, "Is what got me through school."

"Along with me helping you through math," Mama called from the kitchen.

Yuuki scowled. "Are you tricking me into doing more school work?"

"No!" He sighed. "This is my old Famicom. My first video game system!"

Now she tilted her head to one side. Even Aiko peered up from her sketchbook.

"That thing plays video games?" she asked.

"They were a lot different when I was your age," he said. "I was sick a lot as a child, so Grandma and Grandpa bought me this. I could visit new worlds without ever having to leave home!"

That caught Yuuki's attention. "What kind of worlds?"

"Let me show you my favorite." He reached into the box and produced a red cartridge and stuck it into the top of the Famicom. Then he turned on the television, followed by the console. Yuuki's eyes went wide.

 _1988_

 _Capcom_

The text introduced her to the story of a hero who fought against an evil scientist. Slowly, the screen moved up the building to reveal a boy in blue armor standing on the building's roof.

The title _Rockman 2_ appeared above him.

Yuuki was hooked.

There were single player games and those she could play with Aiko and Papa. Papa introduced her to other systems and the games he loved: Final Fantasy, Ultima, Chrono Trigger. He told her about new games as well, and the advances in technology from those early sprite based games to more and more immersive stories.

"One day," Papa said excitedly, "They're going to make virtual worlds. And you won't just use a controller, your mind will _be_ the controller! Won't that be amazing?"

They were amazing, though Papa never got to see them. She always thought of him each time she set foot in a new world, wishing the entire time he could have experienced them as well.

* * *

The trees on the eighth floor were larger than the zelkova in the real world, their limbs far studier. A good thing too, as solid ground didn't exist there.

A massive lake covered the expanse of the area, from gateway to labyrinth and all points in between. Everything, from the pathways to the cities themselves, were built in the crowns of the massive trees. The human settlements looked out of place, awkward, ramshackle buildings that intruded on the beauty of the forest. They walked past all of them, driven by Mortimer's assurance they had a better destination in mind.

He'd given them no reason to distrust him so far. He'd lead them away from the church and to a dead tree just outside of Tolbana. There he pressed his hand against two different knots and the tree itself opened up to reveal a shimmering gateway.

"A spirit tree," Mortimer announced. "This'll take us where we need to go."

Stepping into the tree teleported them to the eighth floor where Mortimer, his brother and the dark elf continued to guide them. Asuna's newfound ally, Lisbeth, peppered them with questions which Mortimer answered as briefly as possible, promising a full explanation once they stopped. Diavel remained relatively quiet, sword at the ready in case of an ambush from monsters. Or, judging from the wary looks he cast at them, their guides as well.

Asuna hadn't said a word. Nor had she let go of Yuuki's hand the entire trip.

It wasn't long before the human cities were left behind, pushing them deeper into the forest. Then, in the distance, their destination finally appeared. The Dark Elf fortress, Maluhtah.

Unlike the human settlements, the fortress looked as though it had been carved from the trees themselves, a natural extension of the environment. Its polished surfaces resembled obsidian and alabaster more than wood, yet almost blended into the canopy around them. Intricate columns and arches were covered in etchings that Yuuki assumed were the elven language.

Only the tattered flags atop the parapets gave any clue to what lay inside. In contrast to the timeless splendor of the fortress itself, the flags were frayed, with long black scorch marks across them.

When the doors opened, Yuuki's awe was replaced with horror.

It wasn't that the massive fortress was empty, nor the way their footsteps echoed through the abandoned corridors. It was the signs that it had once been home to many people, and their disappearance had been sudden and unexpected. Empty trays of food lay strewn about the hall. In one room Yuuki saw a chessboard laid out in mid-match, goblets on either side next to overturned chairs. Toys lay in the middle of another, all lined up around a toy replica of the fortress.

"The Charnel Hounds did this," Kizmel said, her voice weak. "They attacked without warning and gave no quarter. The regiment assigned here stood no chance. Had I not been elsewhere, I suspect I would have fallen here as well."

The dark elf was an AI, according to Mortimer. Yet Yuuki recognized the ache of loss behind her words. Pain she knew all too well.

"I spent most of my youth here, alongside my sister," she continued. "While I was called to the knighthood, she had the passion to become an herbalist. A healer. Her betrothed was assigned here as well. Though we quarreled, he was a good man. Worthy of her. Both were here when..."

She trailed off, composing herself after a deep breath. "I knew the craftsmen who manned the forge, the tailors who worked the looms for our clothes. The soldiers, the teachers, the cooks. I knew them all. Her Grace established the fortress in the hopes it might strengthen our bonds with the humans. Perhaps even reconcile with the forest elves one day. The blasphemers stole all of that from us."

"I'm sorry, Kizmel."

"There will be time for grief and sorrow later. For now, you must know what we're up against, and what those monsters are capable of."

"And we'll do all we can to help." Diavel sounded more like the knight who led the meeting in Tolbana, and Yuuki was relieved to hear the gentler tone.

"But if they were here before, can't they come back?" Though she tried to hide it, there was a note of panic in Lisbeth's voice.

"We're safe here." The reassurance came from Eugene this time.

"Are you sure?"

"We've got the perfect security measure to keep the bastards out," Mortimer replied.

"Language," Kizmel said.

"The world's in grave danger, Kizzie. You'll forgive me if I don't watch my tongue." With that, he stepped in front of a set of tall oak double doors and threw them open with a flourish.

While the walls within this chamber were the same as the rest of the castle, the resemblance stopped there. The amenities splayed around it looked wildly out of place. A fancy leather sofa, a pair of modern corner desks with comfy looking chairs and, most notably, a large bank of monitors set against one wall.

"Welcome to the Batcave!" Mortimer said, spinning around and throwing his arms out to show off the interior. "A space normally reserved for GMs." He turned back to Kizmel with a wry grin. "

Say, Kizzie, could you wait outside for a bit while I chat with the newbies? Gotta talk human stuff."

Her jaw clenched. " _Kizmel_ , Lord Mortimer." Yet she bowed despite her frustration and backpedaled out of the chamber. "But of course I will. Call if you need anything."

Mortimer shut the doors behind her. "Sorry... gotta talk technical game stuff, and I don't really want her hearing it."

"Is it really that big of a deal?" Lisbeth asked.

"Would it be a big deal if I told you that your whole life was just a bunch of ones and zeros created for everyone else's entertainment?" He sighed dramatically, a finger to his temple. "Kizzie's a lot more advanced than your run of the mill AI... I don't really know what would happen if she found out she wasn't flesh and blood, or that her memories were the creation of a scenario designer. And, point blank, we need all the help we can get."

He slumped into one of the chairs, slouching and steepling his fingers together. "I haven't pieced together _what_ she is or how Kayaba pulled it off, I just know she's more than likely a big part of his dream. From deep lore to the big GM staff and player conduct codes baked into the software, everything was part of his vision. He even had some crazy notion about AI counselors to help players, if you can believe it. He wanted the perfect player experience."

"And yet," Diavel said, "Here we are. His prisoners."

"Not just his, either." He took in a deep breath. "You realize nothing's gonna be the same for you four after this, right? You're all targets of the Charnel Hounds and whoever's pulling their strings. You leave this fortress, they can find you."

"And why can't they find us here?" Lisbeth demanded once more, the panic more evident than before.

"Because this is an instance map. It was part of the original version of the elf quest, so it needed to have a unique version for every group of players who stepped inside. I took advantage of that and created a version that Draven and his goons can't step inside. As for how he managed to wipe out the dark elf population across every version? That's courtesy of whoever is in charge of Sword Art Online now."

"Kayaba announced on the first day-" Diavel began.

"Yeah, he had his big dramatic announcement, but now there are two people running around with GM access, flouting his precious rules. Look, I was on the QA team. I worked with him every day. The man was a perfectionist down to his morning breakfast routine. The only way he wouldn't be squashing what we're doing is if he _can't._ "

"Then who is in charge?" Lisbeth asked. "This... what was his name... the Basileus?"

"I don't know _who_ , but I think I know how." He paused and pushed his glasses back up his nose. "Crimson."

"What's Crimson?" Yuuki asked.

"The system that runs Sword Art Online. Back when he first started testing the game, Kayaba created a system called Cardinal. It could do everything from adjusting the game's difficult balance to generating new quests. It was designed to make SAO fun to play, an experience tailored for every player. Well, that's when we hit the first delay. That meant Argus ran into money problems. We needed someone else to invest or the whole thing might've collapsed. Thankfully, Kayaba found a company with deep pockets."

"RECT," Diavel said.

Out of the corner of her eye, Yuuki saw Asuna bristle.

"They were trying to develop their own MMORPG and wanted Kayaba's help," Diavel continued. "I'm going to take a guess that's where your weird avatars are from."

"Got it in one! But now that they had their fingers in the pie, RECT wanted a little more control. One of their bigwigs thought the game was too easy, so he wanted a new control system. Goodbye Cardinal, hello Crimson."

"So, what difference does that make?" Lisbeth asked.

"Two big ones. First, there's a difference in philosophy. Cardinal would try to play fair. Tough, but fair. Crimson, on the other hand, is designed to win at all costs. Not sure if it would outright cheat, but it'll do things like hurl a swarm of Nepenthes at low level players. Second, and more important, Kayaba didn't code Crimson by himself. And if my hunch is right, the Basileus is using that for his scheme. Which, sadly, I haven't pieced together yet."

"The creepy guy we fought said he wanted Asuna," Lisbeth said. "But why?"

"Maybe Asuna can answer that question."

And then all eyes were on the fencer.

"I..." Asuna looked to the floor. "I don't know. I don't know who he is or what he wants."

"You don't know anything at all?" There was a dangerous gleam to Mortimer's eyes, the sort of look that suggested he knew more than he was letting on.

"N-No." Asuna replied.

"If we're going to beat them, any piece of information-"

"I said I don't know anything!"

Yuuki squeezed her hand, but she pulled it away. She took a step back, looking at everyone before dropping her gaze to the floor and spinning around. With one quick motion she threw open the double doors and bolted from the room. Yuuki stared after all. Her whole body felt like ice.

"Yuuki."

She looked up at Diavel. Any trace of animosity was gone now, replaced with concern.

"Go after her," he said. "She needs you."

* * *

 _"She needs you."_

Yuuki never believed those words, not even when one of the most famous men in the world spoke them to her.

In the early days of the NerveGear, almost every piece of software was little more than glorified tech demos. The biggest exception wasn't available to the general public. In fact, the only people fortunate enough to step into that world were children who otherwise never knew much joy. A group Yuuki had been in most of her life.

Serene Garden was a virtual hospice, a godsend that let them escape the sterility of the hospital and forget the pain of the real world for a little while. It looked like a water color painting brought to life, a world of joyful color and whimsical design. In SereGa she could explore to her heart's content, indulge in all manner of food without consequence and make friends from all over Japan.

While she usually explored the world alongside Aiko, she'd been walking alone through the village of Roite when the stranger appeared at the opposite end of the street.

Newcomers were frequent in SereGa as new NerveGears went live in hospitals. You never asked what brought them to SereGa, for no one really wanted to think about what awaited them when the helmets came off. However, the stranger stood out for one reason above all the others. Almost everyone in the hospice were teens and younger, with a handful of young adults. Neither parents nor doctors were allowed inside, and even the system administrators remained hidden from view.

Yet the man walking down the street was just that, a grown up who stood out like a sore thumb. He wore red and white robes that made him look like a wizard, with a smile on his face that looked foreign on his stern countenance. His long brown hair was pulled into a pony tail, save for a long strand that hung over the left side of his face.

And, for whatever reason, he was walking straight toward her.

"Yuuki Konno?" he said as he drew near.

That took her by surprise. She'd used her real name for her virtual avatar, but her last name wasn't listed anywhere in her profile. She looked to the icon floating over his head, which identified him as Heathcliff.

"Y-Yes?" A surge of panic welled up in her stomach, making her chest ache. Could he be a messenger from the hospital? Had something happened to Mama, Papa or even Aiko?

"I thought so. You really do look just like your sister, even in avatar form." He paused in front of her and looked around, taking in both sides of the street then the sky above. His smile broadened, taking on a sincerity it lacked before. "It really is lovely, isn't it? I haven't set foot in Serene Garden since it went live, I'd forgotten just how stunning it was."

"Um, yeah. It's really pretty." She wanted to know what the man wanted and how he knew Aiko, but she didn't want to be rude either.

Heathcliff rubbed his chin. "A couple of members of the team wanted to make it hyper realistic and included a lot of different features and minigames, but I fought against it. I wanted to focus on the experience itself and making it more relaxing. Sort of Animal Crossing by way of Mary Blair, I guess you could say."

"Wait. You helped make SereGa?"

"I suppose you could say that." Heathcliff bowed his head. "Allow me to introduce myself. I'm Akihiko Kayaba, the creator of the NerveGear and Serene Garden."

Even more than before, Yuuki wished that Aiko had been signed in with her. She desperately needed someone to lean against to keep from falling over.

"You're... but you're really famous! Papa's says you're the greatest game designer in the world!"

"Strange, he didn't tell me that himself. But I appreciate the sentiment." He clasped his hands together. "But we'll have plenty of time to talk about all of that. But there's something very important I need to discuss with you."

"Me?"

"I've heard a lot of great things about you, Ms. Konno. Every doctor and nurse I've spoke with says you're the sweetest, most courageous patient they've ever dealt with. They might be embarrassed to know I told you this, but quite a few of them truly admire you."

Yuuki didn't speak, but her flushed cheeks were answer enough.

"That kind of courage is precisely what I'm looking for." He knelt down next to her. "As it happens, I'm in search of a very brave person to help me with an important project."

"Me?" It felt strange to hear those words coming from anyone, let alone _the_ Akihiko Kayaba. "But... I can't do anything to help anyone."

"You're selling yourself short, Ms. Konno. All it takes to change the world is a single person with vision and determination. What if I told you that you could help hundreds... maybe thousands... of people, and in the process you'd hurt less _and_ be able to spend more time in the games you love?"

It sounded too good to be true.

"What would I need to do?"

"Volunteer to test my latest invention. Your parents have already approved, but they wanted to leave the final decision with you."

"What sort of invention?"

"A practical application of the NerveGear." He paused and looked to the sky and spoke words that wouldn't make sense until she saw him in the sky that fateful day in Sword Art Online.

"My penance, I guess you could say."

But on that day, those words slipped past Yuuki in her fear and excitement.

"Do you really think I could do something like that?"

"Absolutely."

"I wanna hear more, but... if you really think I can help people, I want to try."

"I believe you'll find, Ms. Konno, that there are a number of people who need someone like you in their lives."

* * *

She finally found Asuna outside, pressed against the wall with her arms wrapped tightly around herself. Though the deck in front of her offered a spectacular view of the forest, her attention remained locked on the ground in front of her. She didn't look up as Yuuki appeared but thankfully, she didn't run away either.

The entire time she'd been searching, Yuuki debated a dozen different variations on what to say. She promptly reject each in turn, fearful she'd stumble over the carefully chosen words. Instead, she remembered how comforted she felt by the simple presence of her parents by her beside. And so, Yuuki sat down against the wall as well, careful to give her a wide berth.

It happened slowly. Asuna gradually inched closer. Her arms dropped. Her hand sought out Yuuki's and squeezed hard, as though she feared the other girl might fade away if she didn't hold tight. The icy feeling that gripped her in the control room gave way to an all too familiar warmth. Asuna grew closer still, Yuuki's pulse quickening as the space between them closed. And then it happened. Asuna leaned over, her head nestling on Yuuki's shoulder.

Any words she wanted to speak abandoned her. The embrace in the church startled and embarrassed her, but this threatened to take her breath away. There was no adrenaline, no sudden sense of relief at play. There was a familiarity and comfort in this closeness, juxtaposed with an unease that Yuuki didn't find entirely unpleasant. Asuna's grip loosened as she pulled closer. Yuuki curled her other arm around her, a shield to protect her from the rest of the world.

She felt Asuna's tears only a few seconds later.

Yuuki squeezed her hand gently and remained silent. She'd wait for Asuna to speak. She'd wait as long as she needed.

"Thank you." The words that broke the silence came out in a barely audible whisper. "Even if... I don't deserve it."

"What do you mean?"

"I... I..." Even that came out laced with pain. "I almost killed him, Yuuki."

The words hit her like a body blow, but she still held Asuna tight.

"My sword was at his throat. His HP was almost gone. And even then... he said he was going to kill Lisbeth. That they'd already killed you. I almost..."

"But you didn't," Yuuki replied.

"And it almost got Lisbeth killed." Asuna's tears came faster now, her words broken up by sobs. "They targeted you because of me. I... if something happened to you, because of me..."

"But it won't."

"How do you know?"

"I'm not scared of that." Yuuki took in a deep breath, struggling to make sense of the maelstrom of emotions she felt. "I'm not scared of the Charnel Hounds, the fallen elves or anything else in this game. The only thing that scares me is the thought of you pushing me away. I'm not scared, as long as I have you with me."

Asuna looked up, eyes red from the tears. "Yuuki?"

"You're worth all of that and more," she said. "No matter what happens, you're worth it."

Gently, she reached out to stroke Asuna's long hair, the same way Aiko used to. It helped calm her down then, and she prayed it might do the same for Asuna.

She wasn't sure how long it took, but Asuna's tears finally abated. Somehow, she even managed to smile as she looked into her eyes.

Yuuki smiled back and tried to ignore how close they now were. She could feel Asuna's breath against her cheek. Slowly, the fencer reached out and swiped her fingertips across Yuuki's cheek. She feared she might pass out, uncertain of the reason for the gentle contact. It took her a few seconds to realize Asuna was wiping away tears she hadn't realized she'd cried.

"How did I end up with someone like you by my side?" Asuna asked.

"You ran into a labyrinth by yourself, so someone had to keep you safe."

"It's the best stupid decision I've ever made."

They remained silent a moment, staring into one another's eyes. Then Asuna's cheeks flushed and she looked away, turning her attention to the view of the forest in front of them. The water was perfectly still, reflecting the light of a handful of stars that peeked through the canopy. The glow of the full moon gave the whole scene a dreamy quality.

"It's beautiful, isn't it?"

"Y-Yeah."

Yuuki wasn't looking at the forest, however.

She'd been blown away from the moment she first looked into Asuna's eyes, even when they'd been filled with nothing more than resignation. Seeing them spark with joy and wonder warmed Yuuki's heart. Getting to know the fencer only magnified her beauty, making her pulse quicken every time she looked into those eyes. The same way her heart fluttered the first time Asuna's hand closed around her own.

They fell back against the wall, though Yuuki still held her close. Eventually, Asuna's head came to rest on her shoulder once more.

"Asuna..."

Yuuki wanted to tell her the truth. How she came to be in Sword Art Online and what awaited her when they finally escaped the game. The decision that she'd made, to live whatever time she had left for her sake. And more than anything, she wanted to confess the feelings that were starting to well up inside of her. A feeling she recognized but still felt terrified to articulate, even to herself.

Asuna nuzzled into her shoulder. "Hey Yuuki? Can we stay here just a little longer?" she asked.

"Y-yeah. Of course."

It didn't take long for Asuna's breathing to turn heavy as she drifted off to sleep. Couldn't Yuuki force out those words now? Asleep, Asuna wouldn't hear them. But at least she'd find the release of saying it aloud. But even though her lips moved, no words came out.

"I'll be here," she finally said. "As long as you need."

Those weren't the words dancing through her head, however. The words that both scared and excited her. Three little words that somehow proved more difficult than any enemy she'd faced in Aincrad. Three little words that could change everything.

Before long, her eyelids grew heavy as well. Yuuki finally surrendered to her exhaustion, wrapped in an embrace with the woman she'd fallen in love with.

* * *

 _A/N:_

It took me a while to get back to revising this chapter, for reasons that should be pretty obvious given the subject matter of this chapter and what's happening in the world right now. A few things ended up feeling a lot closer to home than they did when I first drafted it and I really struggled with how to work it all out. I half wonder if the chapter could have used another revision pass, but I'm trying really hard to release the chapters with a little more frequency and that won't happen if I keep picking at them.

A few fun notes in this one... the Rockman 2 reference is actually a nod to how I met my partner, as playing that game introduced me to the fandom where we met. And while we weren't dealing with crazed mercenaries and being trapped in a game, our history certainly has its share of trials and tribulations as well. I also thought it would be fun to show a little more of the dynamic with Yuuki's family and I kind of love the idea that her dad is a huge nerd. It was a nice way to counterbalance the exposition I knew this chapter had to include.

All of that said, given that I know exactly when and how the confession finally happens... you have no idea how tempted I was to throw all those plans out the window and write their first kiss in the last scene of this chapter.


End file.
